To be a Werewolf
by Tia Evans
Summary: Answer to the Werewolf Challenge see bio for details. After finding out who his real father is, Harry is bitten by Moony and becomes a werewolf. NOW AU!
1. Chapter one Discoveries and Friends

Disclaimer- Harry Potter and everything that has to do with the story belongs to J.K Rowling.....the one and only.  
  
Okay, for those of you who have read my other story 'The Secret' probably already know about the Werewolf Challenge, which is basically that Harry is either Severus or Remus' son (in this case, Severus' son) and Harry becomes a werewolf because of Remus (if anyone is interested the complete details are in my bio). Well this story is the first answer to the challenge (I think).  
  
So enjoy!  
  
Chapter one- Discoveries and Friends  
  
"Are you coming or not Harry!" Ron yelled above the noise of the Hogwarts Express. "Come on, we've only got two minutes before the train leaves!" The redhead glanced anxiously at the scarlet train, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for his best friend.  
  
Harry struggled to push his trolley over toward the youngest male Weasley but didn't seem to be having that much luck due to him being incredibly under-weight and weak from lack of food over the holidays.  
  
"What's up with you lately, mate?" Ron asked as he hurried over to help his struggling friend push the trolley onto the train. "Did those muggles starve you?"  
  
Silence was all he got to confirm his suspicions. His eyes widened.  
  
"I knew it! Dumbledore should've let you stay with us over the summer!" Harry shook his head at Ron's exclamation, "He thought I'd be most safe over there Ron, its not his fault..."  
  
"Like hell it isn't!" the redhead demanded. "He should've known! Especially after Sirius...I...er..." Ron broke off abruptly as he turned away, flushing slightly. Harry sighed, "Please stop walked on eggshells around me Ron. It just makes it worse...."  
  
Ron nodded as the two boarded the train and started to look for the compartment with Hermione in it. Their other best friend had went on ahead to get them a compartment to themselves while Ron had been helping Harry.  
  
They found her at the back of the train, with one other occupant in the compartment with her.  
  
"Professor Lupin!" Harry exclaimed happily as he pushed his trolley in and sat down beside his favorite professor, grateful to be rid of his heavy burden. "Hello Harry." Remus smiled at him pleasantly though Harry could see that it didn't quite reach his eyes.  
  
"How are you, Professor?" he asked softly and Remus shrugged slightly, "I've been better but I am glad that I have the pleasure of teaching you all again..." the werewolf grinned slightly, but it again didn't quite reach his eyes.  
  
The man hesitated and said, "How are you, Harry? You didn't write that much..." Harry looked at his hands guiltily.  
  
The truth was, was that he had wanted to owl his friends so much over the holidays but Uncle Vernon had been resentful and had only allowed him to owl others when he saw fit (such as the once-every-three-days letter to the Order).  
  
The Dursley's had been more crueler then Harry would've thought possible, they took every spare moment to taunt Harry about Sirius' death ever since he had gotten back from Hogwarts. Finally, only two days into holiday, Harry had snapped and punched, actually punched Dudley in the nose when the oaf had insulted Sirius for the fifth time.  
  
That, of course, had spurred Uncle Vernon into action and next thing he knew, Harry was whipped, starved, beaten, and just about any other torture that the psycho could think of. He had been thrown into his cupboard for the rest of the summer, let out only to do be beaten or to relieve himself and fed once a week if he was lucky (which usually consisted of moldy cheese or stale bread and a glass of water), while Aunt Petunia watched maliciously in the background.  
  
He had been forced to watch all his school-things go up into flames. The only reason they hadn't killed Hedwig was because of his once-every-three- days letter to the Order, which Vernon told him what to write.  
  
Harry had thankfully had sense enough to put his most treasured things in his pockets, which were the Maurader's Map, his father's invisibility cloak, his wand, and some money that he had had on him, other then that everything, including his photo album, was burned.  
  
The only thing that the Dursley's had spared, was his trunk, so that Harry wouldn't raise suspicion when he arrived at the platform and everyone would think that his school things were still with him in the trunk.  
  
Harry outwardly shot Remus an apologetic look as he muttered, "Didn't really have time to, Dursley's made me do chores y'know?" Remus frowned in concern at Harry.  
  
"Are you alright?" the werewolf eyed Harry up and down, taking in his rather small and pale complexion and smelling fear mixed with uncertainty coming from the boy.  
  
Harry looked up at him, "Ya, fine...." He gave his Defense Against the Dark Arts professor a reassuring smile. Remus nodded slowly, still unsure.  
  
"So.." Hermione piped up. "We haven't gotten to hear about your OWL's Harry, how'd you do?" Harry rolled his eyes, typical Hermione.  
  
Luckily, Harry had managed to knick his Hogwarts letter from Hedwig while in the bathroom, pretending to relieve himself, his brilliant owl had flown right up to the window with the letter clamped tightly in her beak.  
  
Harry unfolded the results and handed it to Hermione as Ron and Remus gathered around her to see. He smiled slightly, waiting for their reactions.  
  
It read:  
  
'**Ordinary Wizarding Levels  
  
**Year: 1996  
  
Student: Harry James Potter  
  
School: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
  
**Transfiguration  
**  
Practical- Exceeds Expectations  
  
Written- Acceptable  
  
Overall- Exceeds Expectations  
  
**Charms**  
  
Practical- Exceeds Expectations  
  
Written- Outstanding  
  
Overall- Outstanding  
  
**Herbology  
**  
Practical- Exceeds Expectations  
  
Written- Acceptable  
  
Overall- Exceeds Expectations  
  
**Defense Against the Dark Arts  
  
**Practical- Outstanding  
  
Written- Outstanding  
  
Overall- Outstanding  
  
**Potions  
**  
Practical- Acceptable  
  
Written- Outstanding  
  
Overall- Outstanding  
  
**Care of Magical Creatures**  
  
Practical- Exceeds Expectations  
  
Written- Acceptable  
  
Overall- Exceeds Expectations  
  
**Astronomy  
**  
Practical- Acceptable  
  
Written- Acceptable  
  
Overall- Acceptable  
  
**Divination  
**  
Practical- Poor  
  
Written- Acceptable  
  
Overall- Acceptable  
  
**History of Magic**  
  
Written- Acceptable  
  
Overall- Acceptable  
  
**OWL's passed**- nine  
  
**OWL's taken**- nine  
  
**Overall**- 94.7%  
  
Please note that the Outstanding given in Potions was due to the exclusive answer given for the Polyjuice Potion on your written exam.  
  
The following classes are the NEWT classes that will be taken:  
  
Potions  
  
Transfiguration  
  
Charms  
  
Defense Against the Dark Arts  
  
Herbology  
  
Care of Magical Creatures (optional)  
  
Congratulations Mr. Potter! You have passed the requirements for the Ordinary Wizarding Level. Thank you for your cooperation.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Professor Griselda Marchbanks  
  
Head of Wizarding Examination Authority'  
  
"Harry that's wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed happily.  
  
"You got an 'O' in Potions! How in the bloody hell is that possible mate?" Ron all but shouted.  
  
"Ron...." Hermione warned, looking at Remus who chuckled slightly, "Watch your language, Ron." Their professor warned in an amused voice.  
  
"But honestly mate, how did you get an 'O' in Potions!" Ron asked Harry incredulously. "I only got an 'A'...." he muttered turning red.  
  
"Well usually you'd get an 'E' if you got an 'O' and an 'A' on your practical and written exams but apparently you got a lot of extra credit from the Polyjuice Potion question! Harry do you know how lucky that is!" Hermione said in one breath.  
  
Harry shrugged, "At least I can be an Auror now...."  
  
"What about you Ron?" Remus asked the redhead. Hermione also looked at him curiously, "Yes what NEWT classes are you taking?"  
  
Ron sighed, "Well DADA, Charms, Herbology, ComC, and Transfiguration...."  
  
"So basically all of the classes I'm taking but Potions....." Harry stated.  
  
"Yep! I get to drop Potions!"  
  
"Lucky you...." Harry muttered, rolling his eyes. "What about you 'Mione?"  
  
Hermione smiled and took a deep breath before saying quickly, "Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Herbology, ComC, and DADA!" she stated proudly.  
  
Harry gawked at her, "....and what about History of Magic and Astronomy eh? I think your slipping my dear...." He murmured absently and Hermione glared.  
  
"History of Magic and Astronomy aren't that important!"  
  
Ron, Harry, and even Remus stared at her. She eyed them furiously, "Well they aren't!" she exploded. "Besides.." she added, glaring heatedly at Ron, "I achieved 96.3%, what did you achieve, Ronald?"  
  
Harry wasn't sure if Ron's ears turned red because of being called Ronald or admitting his score.  
  
Ron mumbled something incoherently.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked, leaning closer.  
  
Ron sighed and glared at her, "I said 88.3%! There ya happy! Bloody Know-It- All!" he snapped and Hermione huffed in annoyance before pulling out 'Standard Book of Spells: Grade Six'  
  
The compartment door flew open to reveal the lady with the snack trolley. "Anything off the trolley dears?" she asked and Harry bent down to retrieve his money out of his trunk (which also held his invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map).  
  
As he opened it Hermione happened to glance up from her book to get her own money, and spotted the emptiness of Harry's trunk. She blinked at it in confusion before deciding to confront Harry about it after the lady left as she closed her book and paid for some food along with Harry and Remus.  
  
Remus shut the compartment door and watched as the three teenagers started to chow down on Hermione and Harry's food before munching on a chocolate frog.  
  
After a moment that was filled with chewing and swallowing sounds, Hermione spoke up, "Where are all your books, Harry?" she asked, making Ron and Remus look up at her curiously.  
  
"What do you mean, Hermione?" Remus asked slowly. The muggle-born witch looked over at Harry, "There wasn't any books in his trunk, Professor...."  
  
All eyes were now focused on Harry, who started to feel rather uncomfortable under their gazes. "Harry....?" Remus asked, "What did your relatives do with your belongings?"  
  
Harry gulped and lowered his head before murmuring quietly, "They burned them...."  
  
Hermione and Ron gasped and Remus' eyes narrowed in anger. "They burned.....everything?" he said in a calm, reserved voice. Harry nodded slowly, his hands suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world.  
  
"Wait! Except for my wand, the invisibility cloak, and the Maruader's Map....I still have them..." Harry said, glancing at Remus' seething form anxiously. Was Remus mad at him? Did he do something wrong? He cringed inwardly as he remembered an angry Uncle Vernon.......  
  
_"Freak! Worthless Piece of Shit! Murderer!" The purple face staring at him in utmost loathing, the insane laugher as Harry cried out when the whip connected with his bare back, blood everywhere......smearing on his back, staining his cot blood-red, Aunt Petunia laughing shrilly in the background as her husband raised his fist......  
  
_"Harry are you alright?" Hermione's concerned voice asked him, but he was still thinking about Vernon so when Hermione made to put a comforting arm around him, he reacted on instinct.  
  
He yelped in terror, falling out of his seat and onto the floor, immediately scooting away and curling into a ball, oblivious to the voices calling his name frantically.  
  
"Harry! _Harry_!" Hermione shrieked in panic as she dropped out of her seat, beside of her friend, Ron doing the same.  
  
Harry didn't to have appeared to have noticed them as he continued to sit there, curled up into a tight ball, muttering incoherent things to himself. Remus quickly unwrapped a chocolate frog and sat down across from Harry, recognizing the symptoms of abuse immediately, he felt fury rise inside of him but pushed it down stubbornly, knowing that it will only make it worse.  
  
"Harry, calm down Harry its alright...your safe, your with us, no one's going to hurt you..." he whispered gently to the curled up figure before him.  
  
Harry attentively peeked out to see Ron, Hermione, and Remus looking at him worriedly. He immediately felt his terror melt into humiliation as he felt his face grow warm. How could he have been so cowardly as to react to Hermione like that?! Vernon wasn't anywhere around and he knew it! How could he have let them see that? Now they were going to ask questions that he was most unwilling to answer.  
  
He carefully took the offered chocolate frog and popped it into his mouth, chewing it slowly as he got up out of the floor and sat down in his seat.  
  
Ron and Hermione sat on either side of him and he couldn't restrain a flinch. "They beat you, don't they?" Ron said bluntly and Hermione reached across Harry to smack him in the back of the head.  
  
"Harry...." Remus began and Harry lowered his head, "Please don't......" he whispered to Remus. "Y-You guys are the only ones....who know..." he looked up at them with pleading emerald eyes, "Please....can't we just keep this between the four of us? Please?"  
  
Remus stared into the pained green eyes and sighed as he turned away from them, he would kill those Dursleys! How dare they lay a hand on Harry?! No child should EVER be treated like that let alone after all Harry's been through!  
  
He wondered what Sirius would have done in a situation such as this one.....and felt a sharp pain in his heart at the thought of his late best friend. He couldn't break down....not now, not when Harry needed him.  
  
He stubbornly swallowed the lump in his throat as he returned his attention toward Harry, who was still looking at him pleadingly.  
  
"Harry....you know I can't..."  
  
"_Please_!"  
  
Harry's loud request startled Remus slightly, Ron and Hermione looked at him for answers. "Why don't you want anyone to know, Harry?" he asked, "You could be taken away from them for forever if anyone knew about this!"  
  
Harry wrapped his arms around himself and Remus suddenly understood, "You don't want them to think of you as weak." It was a statement and Harry looked up, "I don't want to give them another excuse to treat me like a child..."  
  
Remus' eyes widened, "What do you mean? Its not natural for a child to be beaten Harry!" he exclaimed and Harry flinched.  
  
"I will tell the headmaster, Harry...and you are to report to the Hospital Wing with me after the Welcoming Feast," he told the boy firmly but gently.  
  
Harry looked up at him with a pained expression before ducking his head down once again and stubbornly refusing the tears that had wished to fall ever since the end of the school year.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
The Golden Trio got a carriage to themselves, as they were carted up the magnificent place known as Hogwarts, a quiet discussion took place inside.....  
  
"Why didn't you ever tell us, Harry?" Hermione asked him sadly as she watched the raven-haired boy look out of the window at Hogwarts. Harry sighed, "I didn't want you to worry.....and...."  
  
He broke off and looked at his shoes, he had a really bad habit of avoiding eye contact when nervous.  
  
"What?" Hermione pressed gently.  
  
".....its kind of embarrassing....." he murmured and Hermione gasped.  
  
"You think its embarrassing to be beaten?!" Ron asked incredulously. "That's why you wouldn't tell us is because you were embarrassed?!"  
  
Harry looked away, "The Daily Prophet will have a field day when they find out their savior can't even stand up to a muggle...." He murmured quietly.  
  
"Oh Harry!" Hermione promptly threw her arms around him and sobbed to him, "Don't mind what they think! If you are in danger Harry then you tell us! Please!" she sounded desperate and Ron nodded looking pale.  
  
"Don't keep something like that from us again, mate..." his voice was slightly hoarse and he looked as desperate as Hermione sounded.  
  
Harry glanced from one to another and felt a small smile tug at his lips and he suddenly felt proud to have two friends as good as these....  
  
"Promise us, Harry..." Hermione said, Ron nodded again.  
  
Harry sighed, "I promise I'll tell you next time.....I swear..." he looked up at his two friends gratefully as they both beamed.  
  
The carriage halted and the three hopped out as they entered Hogwarts once again, their classmates following them.  
  
Harry seated himself in between Ron and Hermione, across from Neville, who looked very happy this year.  
  
"I've dropped Potions!" he announced cheerfully. "And now I have Herbology twice as much!" Hermione smiled, "That's wonderful, Neville."  
  
"Ya...." Neville grinned, "But my Grandma wasn't to pleased with me dropping Potion's though, she wanted me to be an Auror...." The boy shrugged nonchalantly, "Too bad...."  
  
Dean and Seamus seated themselves on either side of Neville and grinned at Harry, "Have a nice summer Harry?" Dean asked. Ron and Hermione glanced at Harry, who pasted a false smile on his face, "Great..." he muttered and Dean went on, "Are we still going to have DA?" the boy asked.  
  
Harry shook his head, "We have a decent DADA teacher now so we don't really need to..." He trailed off as the first years trooped in behind Professor McGonagall, looking terrified.  
  
Harry snorted as he remembered being that scared on the first day as the sorting hall finished its song and Professor Dumbledore rose and everyone immediately fell silent.  
  
"I have a few starter announcements to make before we began the sorting. First of all, as all of you know the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students, which some of you still need reminding of...." At this he glanced at Ron, Hermione, and Harry who grinned at each other.  
  
"Second of all, Ms. Umbridge will not be returning as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher....." he paused as cheers rose up and Harry saw Dumbledore's beard twitch slightly as if he were going to smile. "....replacing her will be Professor Remus Lupin, who I'm sure most of you know...." He again paused as more cheers rose and Remus stood up and smiled at them, Harry, Ron, and Hermione cheered the loudest.  
  
"Well, with that said, let the sorting began!"  
  
Professor McGonagall marched over toward the worn hat and unrolled a scroll.  
  
"Andrews, Sarah!"  
  
A little blonde girl nervously approached the stool as McGonagall placed the hat on her head.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Harry clapped along with the other Gryffindors as the blonde smiled in relief and walked over to the table.  
  
"Chang, Elise!"  
  
"RAVENCLAW!"  
  
"Clipe, Charlie"  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!"  
  
"Cose, Michael!"  
  
"RAVENCLAW!"  
  
"Diggory, Anne"  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Harry stared at the young girl that left the stool, how could she be Cedric Diggory's sister?! He was an only child! Wasn't he? And she was in Gryffindor...  
  
"Goyle, Roger!"  
  
"SLYTHERIN!"  
  
Harry waited as the first-years continued to be sorted, as the line thinned and eventually disappeared. He thought about that Anne-girl.  
  
Someone suddenly jabbed him in the ribs and he flinched, turning to Ron who was gesturing at the feast that had just appeared in front of them, he hadn't even noticed....  
  
Harry loaded his plate with as little as he could get under Hermione and Ron's scrutinizing gazes and only ate about half. "I cant eat anymore, Ron!" he groaned under Ron's complaints about his amount of food. Hermione nodded, "Harry's right, Ron, when someone gets used to eating little, their stomach shrinks and it takes them a while to start to eat normally again." She stated matter-of-factly and Ron glared at her.  
  
The two started to bicker, as usual and Harry sighed, pillowing his head on the table with his arms. "Hello..." a tentative voice called out and he jumped slightly. "Sorry...didn't mean to startle you..."  
  
He looked up, it was Anne Diggory. He quickly straightened up and nodded to her, "Hey..."  
  
"I'm Anne Diggory." The girl introduced herself, "And your Harry Potter aren't you? I could tell by the scar, of course your probably used to people staring at it so I try not to, I know how annoying it is to be stared at, I was stared at all the time when Cedric died and it got so bloody irritating that I just wanted to snap at them to mind their own business, but they don't of course because they're 'concerned' when they really aren't and they only stare at you because they want to make sure you don't break down and embarrass them and then....." she trailed off looking at Harry, who was staring at her with a raised brow.  
  
She blushed, "Sorry, I tend to get off subject a lot, like when I'm doing my homework and talking to my mom, I sometimes start reading the problem I'm doing and she gets really mad because she says its annoying and one time she took away my desert that night and it was so unfair because I couldn't help it but she was all 'you need to control that mouth of yours' and I'm all 'why?' y'know the only person who never got mad at me for talking like that was Cedric and..." she trailed off again and blushed deeper.  
  
She cleared her throat, "Well....I just wanted to say that....I'm really grateful to you for...for respecting Cedric enough to....to bring his body back even if it would've meant your life....so...thanks.."  
  
Harry blinked, he felt as if he had been watching a movie, "....your welcome...is he your....was he your brother?"  
  
Anne shook her head, "He was my cousin..." she sighed and glanced back at her friends who were waiting for her (it was time to go to dormitories). "Well, I'll see you around, nice meeting you Harry." She said and turned around and walked away with the other first-years and fifth-year prefects.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Remus escorted Harry to the Hospital Wing, as promised and the werewolf told Harry about his short talk with Dumbledore at dinner.  
  
"Don't worry, no one else heard us..." he said soothingly to a rather distraught Harry.  
  
Harry merely glared at him in response.  
  
"Anyway, he said you are not going back there again Harry......isn't that good?" he asked hesitantly at Harry's frown.  
  
Harry shrugged, "Great, now I'll be sent to an orphanage, thanks Remus!" he snapped sarcastically.  
  
Remus glanced at Harry, "So that's what this is all about? You think you'll be sent to an orphanage?" at Harry's nod he went on. "You won't, Harry don't worry. You'll either be sent to the Order's HQ or most likely, to the Weasley's......all we need to do is get through your trial and..."  
  
"Wait! I'm going on trial! But-But then everyone will know!" Harry exclaimed. "It has to be done, Harry or you will have to go back to the Dursley's and don't worry, it will be a private case..." Remus explained soothingly.  
  
Harry looked at the ground miserably. He really hated his life sometimes....  
  
_'Sirius I miss you.....'  
  
_() So what'd you think? Good? Bad? Please review and tell me!  
  
Till next time.... 


	2. Chapter two Visions and Potions

Hello! Thank you to everyone who reviewed!  
  
Okay this chapter may get a little weird, I'm not sure, so if it does get confusing, just bare with me please! I am going to be switching point of views a lot to...hope that's okay.  
  
Chapter two- Visions and Potions  
  
Much to Harry's luck, most of his injuries had already healed over, besides the most recent ones, leaving long, pale, white lines criss-crossing his back in every direction.  
  
To say Remus had been furious had been an understatement. The man had practically marked Vernon Dursley for his 'plaything' during his next transformation. Maybe that had been one of the main reasons the usually calm man had been so violent, the full moon wasn't that long from now.  
  
Madame Pomfrey had surprised him slightly, when she had first laid eyes on his back, tears had gathered in the eyes of the normally stern woman but when she had announced the potential of Harry's injuries, she had looked as furious as Remus.  
  
Harry never knew so many people cared...  
  
Madame Pomfrey had tried to make him stay but Harry wouldn't have it. Since his recent beating hadn't been as violent as the others, Harry hadn't had that many injuries. So after downing three disgusting Healing Potions, and after much pleading from Harry, he was finally allowed to leave the Hospital Wing with promises to Madame Pomfrey that he would take it easy the next day and come back for a check-up later on.  
  
Hermione and Ron were waiting for him in the common room. Hermione stood as he entered, "How'd it go?" she asked, concern evident in her brown eyes.  
  
"Ya mate, I thought Madame Pomfrey would make you stay at least over night..." Ron continued.  
  
Harry shrugged, "Luckily most of my injuries were already healed and scarred over..... She let me go after I asked her about a thousand times and promised her that I wouldn't do anything drastic tomorrow...."  
  
Hermione sighed, "Maybe you should have stayed at least the night there...." Ron snorted, "Right, could you imagine the look on Malfoy's face if Harry were to stay in the Hospital Wing on the first night? He'd never let Harry live it down!"  
  
The bushy-haired girl scowled in disapproval, "Nevertheless Ron if it would have meant Harry's health then I'm sure he would have been willing to take the chance.....right Harry?" Hermione asked him cautiously.  
  
Harry glanced from one friend to another and yawned, "I'm going to bed..." he muttered.  
  
"But..." Ron began, but was cut off as Hermione elbowed him and said, "Yes, you should get your rest Harry."  
  
Harry nodded and bid 'good-night' to the two before turning in early for the night.  
  
As Harry prepared for bed he thought about the most recent night's he had had. They had been terrible some nights, plagued with dreams of Sirius and the Prophecy but mostly he had been having this strange dream about a dark- haired man, his arm around a red-haired woman, as they both looked upon him with unmistakable love and pride.  
  
He didn't know what to make of it but the dream kind of.....comforted him somewhat, though it really did suck when he'd wake up from it at midnight and be unable to get back to sleep.  
  
Harry finally lay down on the soft bed gratefully as his eyes slide shut and almost immediately, he began to dream, but this one was different from the others.....  
  
########ENTER DREAM SEQUENCE##############  
  
_The last thing the man remembered was the look of panic and terror on the boy's face before everything went black.  
  
He awoke with a splitting pain in his head and reached up to touch his forehead, realizing that he was bleeding. "It will go great with the other scars..." he thought dully as he lifted himself from the ground, dusting off his pants and looking around at the alien place before him.  
  
He was in an enormous room, but he could almost smell the heartbreak in the room as if it were a strong perfume.......he seemed to be in a line of a sort since there was many people in front of him as well as in back of him, all in an orderly fashion.  
  
What they were all waiting for, he didn't know but when he tried to get out of line, a blue-looking man with a clipboard barked at him to get back in line.  
  
The man sighed in annoyance, trying to stand on his tiptoes as he tried to see what they were waiting for, but the line seemed to stretch on for forever and he huffed, angrily tapping his right foot. He began to think of the boy, hoping to God that he was okay and cursing himself for leaving him even if he didn't know how it had happened...  
  
'This is going to take forever....' He thought with a feeling of trepidation. But no sooner after he had thought those words he was at the front of the line.  
  
The man blinked in confusion but shrugged it off as he stepped up to a large desk, which was a little taller then he was. A man, roughly the size of the Hogwart's Care of Magical Creature's professor was seated in the desk. He had a well-trimmed beard and a bored expression on his face as he looked down at the man.  
  
"Name?" he asked in a bored, drawling voice. The man blinked and cleared his throat, "Sirius.... Sirius Black...."  
_  
#######END DREAM SEQUENCE################  
  
Harry awoke instantly, shooting up in bed and panting, his eyes wide with alarm. Glancing around, Harry found that it was still dark outside and all his other dorm mates were fast asleep.  
  
He sat up more in bed, still taking in deep, calming breaths at what he had just seen. Harry placed both hands on either side of his head, trying to remember what had happened after Sirius had said his name.....but it was to blurry.  
  
He remembered.....he remembered Sirius walking up to the big man and introducing himself and then......the big man...he had said something before Harry had woken up....but what?  
  
He knew he had to find out.....the dream hadn't seemed like a dream at all. Instead, it had felt more like a vision, like the one with Mr. Weasley and the snake....  
  
Harry squeezed his eyes tightly shut, concentrating, wracking his memory so hard that his head started to pound.  
  
And then....it came to him as he remembered it so very sudden, as if it had happened to Harry himself......  
  
_"Sirius....Sirius Black..." Sirius whispered to the large man. The man's head shot up so rapid, that a slight pop from his neck was heard.  
  
"Sirius Black?! What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here!"  
  
_Harry let out a breath as he realized that that had been all that the man had said before he had woken up but he wanted to know more!  
  
Where had Sirius been? Why wasn't he supposed to be there? Was the dream a vision? Was the vision a ploy? Just like the last one of Sirius had been?  
  
Questions flew through Harry's head at a mile a minute and he felt his head starting to hurt again. He suddenly gave a yawn as his eyelids started to droop.  
  
No! He couldn't go to sleep! Not yet! Not now, he had to figure this out and if he went to sleep then he might forget it all.....  
  
Harry reached for his glasses and slipped them on as he grabbed his wand and waved it to see the time. Two in the morning....way to early to be getting up. What time had he gone to sleep? Eight maybe? Six hours of sleep were definitely not enough.  
  
And this was the first time in weeks that Harry had been tired enough to fall asleep again after a dream.....  
  
Harry slipped out of to retrieve a spare piece of parchment with a quill and an inkbottle that had been laying on Ron's bedside table (he had unpacked them to write a letter to his mother) and quickly wrote down a rather compelling description of his dream before it faded away.  
  
He read over it a couple times before nodding, satisfied as he put the parchment in the drawer of his own bedside table.  
  
Afterwards he got back into bed and, thankfully, fell into a blissful, dream free sleep.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Sirius narrowed his eyes at the giant. "What do you mean I'm not supposed to be here?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
The other man stared at him, "Do you not know where you are?"  
  
Sirius huffed in annoyance and folded his arms, scowling, "And how in the hell would I know where I am? I don't even know how I got here!"  
  
The giant frowned and shuffled through some papers on his desk. "What is the last thing you remember?" he asked Sirius as he continued to shuffle through the papers.  
  
Sirius said instantly, "I was in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic because my Godson, Harry, had a false vision that I was being tortured there and he went to the Department of Mysteries to 'save' me and was ambushed by Death Eaters and I had to save him!" he told the other man very quickly, in one breath.  
  
The giant starred at him and furrowed his brow, "Now hold on!" he said, holding up his two plate sized hands. "You're saying that.." he paused as he leaned closer to look at one of the papers on his desk. ".....that...Harry Potter....is your Godson and..." he once again squinted his eyes at the paper on his desk as he tried to make out another name, "....and Lord Voldymort...no Voldemort..yes Voldemort sent Death Eaters to kill him and you went to save him when you're supposed to stay at the Order's HQ!"  
  
Sirius stared at the man and felt a slight chuckle rise in his throat when the man had called Voldemort, Voldymort. He stubbornly pushed it down though and nodded in consent. "I had to..." he murmured.  
  
The giant huffed in disapproval and said wearily, "And?"  
  
"And.." Sirius continued, "I was fighting with Lestrange and she threw a curse at me which knocked me through a veil of some sort and I ended up here!" he finished.  
  
"You didn't happen to be fighting in the Death Chamber did you?" the giant asked, looking thoughtful.  
  
Sirius wracked his memory and slowly nodded, "Ya, I think that was what it was called..."  
  
The giant seemed to understand immediately and told Sirius, "Well you are dead, Mr. Black..."  
  
Sirius' eyes widened, "WHAT?!" he yelled, making a nearby blue guy with a clipboard jump in surprise.  
  
The giant nodded, "Yes, you are in the judging area....the gateway between Heaven and Hell, where we decide if you are granted Heaven or sentenced to Hell...."  
  
"But I cant be dead! What about Harry? He needs me! It will kill him when he finds out!"  
  
"When he finds out? He already has!" the giant said and Sirius blinked in confusion. The giant glanced at one of the many calendars behind him. "He's known for.......a couple months now..."  
  
Sirius's eyes widened even more as the giant pointed to the date, September second, "B-But....but...no..this..this cant be...no!" he shook his head vigorously.  
  
"Now hold on! You didn't let me finish!" the giant said. "You're dead but you're not supposed to be..." Sirius blinked and the giant went on, "that veil is only meant to kill people who are sentenced to death and who are guilty...and you are none of those..."  
  
"So....what am I supposed to do? What's going to happen?" Sirius almost feared the answer.  
  
"Well the only thing we can do!" the giant looked at him as if he were an idiot. "It wasn't your time so we have to send you back...."  
  
"Really? You're going to bring me back to life?"  
  
"Well.... technically you weren't really dead in the first place....you just didn't exist..." the giant said simply.  
  
"Okaaay....." Sirius murmured in confusion. "Okay, I'll go with it..."  
  
The giant nodded and rubbed the place between his eyes, "We haven't had a mistake like this in centuries...." With that the man reached under his desk and pressed a large red button that said above it, "Emergency" and Sirius knew no more.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Harry explained the dream to Ron and Hermione the next morning at breakfast. "I just wish I knew what it meant!" he whispered sadly to them. "Maybe Sirius is trying to tell me something.....maybe he isn't dead!"  
  
"Harry..." Hermione began gently, "Please don't try to trick yourself into believing these false illusions..." she said to him pleadingly. "It could really hurt you if you really start to believe that he's still alive......it might just be another one of Voldemort's false visions..."  
  
Harry stared down at his half-eaten plate of food. He knew Hermione was right but he knew that that dream had meant something! He just knew it! He felt slightly resentful toward his bushy-haired friend for stating the truth but at the same time, he felt slightly grateful for the fact that she, unlike everyone else, was not walking on eggshells around him when talking about Sirius.  
  
Professor McGonagall was passing out schedules and Ron grinned as he got his, "Hey! I'm free this class period!" he announced, looking expectantly at Hermione and Harry, who were both frowning at theirs.  
  
"Potions..." Harry muttered glumly and Hermione nodded, "Yep..."  
  
Harry felt rather glad that at least one of his best friends was going to be in Potion's with him. "We'd better get going..." Hermione sighed, checking her watch as she shouldered her bag. Harry nodded and stood up, "See ya, Ron..." he murmured miserably.  
  
"See ya, mate..." Ron said, looking at Harry and Hermione pitifully.  
  
The two Gryffindors made their way out of the Great Hall and headed down to the dungeons, which was nearly empty except for Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott, who looked at them nervously.  
  
Hermione and Harry carefully unpacked their things and waited for the rest of the class to file in.  
  
It was quite strange to have students from all four houses in one class, especially in Potion's. Harry could only imagine how Snape would act now.  
  
Thankfully, there were about as many students in the class as there usually were in normal classes. Unfortunately, that included Draco Malfoy.  
  
The door banged open and Snape strode in looking rather grouchy, much to the students' horror. He stopped at the front of the classroom and whipped around, glaring at them all through cold, onyx eyes from behind a curtain of greasy, black hair.  
  
"I expect each and every one of you to make at least an 'E' on all class work and if anyone performs otherwise..." he paused to watch them tremble slightly in their seats, "...then I shall find you a rather....unpleasant way that will hopefully teach you dunderheads to pay attention in class...." He smirked in pleasure as quite a few students shuddered. "That includes quizzes and tests."  
  
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances.  
  
He continued speaking in a cold, emotionless voice, "You are now in the NEWT classes.....I expect the best from you and you will now be dealing with the more dangerous of Potions....poisons, some that may cause you so much pain that you'll wish you were dead if you screw it up, and some that could be fatal if you happen to miss a single step..."  
  
Snape's gaze locked with Harry's and Harry blinked quickly before the man could read his mind. Snape narrowed his eyes in utmost loathing at Harry before continuing to glare at everyone else.  
  
"You will be brewing the 'Razor Edge Potion', which is often used in a distracting manner in wars. It causes the mind to believe that it is in pain, when it really isn't......the potion only ends when the drinker realizes that the pain is not real, which may take a while. Many have gone insane from the use of this potion for the reason that it is quite similar to the 'Cruciatus Curse'." Snape said with a malevolent sneer at the students.  
  
Whispering broke out at Snape's last sentence and Hermione whispered fearfully to Harry, "Dumbledore wouldn't really let him teach us how to brew a potion that's similar to an unforgivable would he?" she looked terrified at the thought.  
  
"Silence!" Snape barked and everyone immediately fell still, every eye focused on their Potion's Professor.  
  
Snape waved his wand at the board and instructions appeared, "Partner up in pairs..." When no one moved, Snape snapped irritably, "I suppose you all are wondering why I am allowing you to brew this potion?" only a couple of students (Slytherins) nodded hesitantly to Snape's indifferent question.  
  
Snape folded his arms, "There is a war coming up, no matter what those bloody idiots at the Ministry say...." Snape said bitterly. "The headmaster obviously thinks its important for you to learn these things....however tactless I believe you all to be, he still believes it reasonable to teach you some means of protection...." Snape sneered at the last part.  
  
Everyone was still silent, every eye focused on Snape.  
  
"Well what are you all waiting for? The instructions are on the board!" he barked and they all immediately jumped into action.  
  
Harry gathered their ingredients and felt an enormous wave of gratitude toward Hermione, who immediately took control.  
  
"Alright, I'll boil the water and you prepare the ingredients." She said and added three cups of water to the cauldron and set it to boil (as the instructions said).  
  
Harry cautiously chopped the Devil's Snare (it was dead) into half-inch pieces, careful not to mess everything up.  
  
After the ingredients were all prepared they started to follow the instructions, ahead of everyone else, and once again, Harry felt an enormous wave of gratitude toward Hermione.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
"So...how was Potion's" Ron asked Hermione and Harry as they seated themselves for lunch in the Great Hall. Harry groaned. Hermione huffed.  
  
"Two-feet of parchment on the bloody potion's effect and how to prevent it! Two-feet! And we all got it right and we still had to do it!" Harry snapped.  
  
"We brewed a potion that was similar to the Cruciatus Curse!" Hermione snapped.  
  
"And the git took ten points because I 'didn't even out the Devil's Snare pieces enough'! I checked to make sure it was even ten times! Why can't he just give me a break!" The Boy-Who-Lived snarled.  
  
"What are they thinking? Do they want us to be tortured to death!" The Know- It-All snarled.  
  
"And another ten points because I 'was sitting there staring off into space like an idiot'! I was waiting for the potion to boil and he knew it! He just wants to make my life a living hell doesn't he!" he ranted.  
  
"They know there is at least five Death Eater's children in this school-" she ranted.  
  
"I'd think after Snuffle's death-" he interrupted.  
  
"-who would gladly use it against us!" she interrupted.  
  
"-which was entirely his fault...." he declared.  
  
"It was entirely unethical...." she declared.  
  
".....he'd be a tad more considerate!" he hissed.  
  
".....I never knew they could be so stupid!" she hissed.  
  
Ron stared at his two friends, his eyes moving back and forth between the two like a tennis match. They weren't arguing with each other, just trying to outdo one another.  
  
For Harry, this was kind of unusual since he was usually a boy who never really showed his emotions, but it was kind of understandable, Ron supposed that it was good for him to get his anger out of him though.  
  
For Hermione it was a totally different story. What was up with her? She was acting completely out of character! She was practically insulting the teachers of their teaching methods.... The last time he had heard his 'goody- goody' friend talk this badly about a class was when they had taken Divination in their third year.  
  
"Harry?" Remus' voice cut through the two's ranting. The DADA teacher looked at Hermione curiously, who had spoken last, "Don't tell me they were using House Elf parts for potions...." He muttered, wondering what the usually soft-spoken girl was so upset about.  
  
Ron and Harry grinned at each other and Hermione bristled, "Don't joke about that! Professor Snape made us brew the 'Razor Edge Potion'". Remus didn't look surprised, he only nodded, "Yes, they taught us that in our sixth year to, mainly because of the war that was going on....I suppose they're doing the same thing..."  
  
"But the Death Eater's children could use it against us!!" Hermione interrupted impatiently, "What was Dumbledore thinking!"  
  
Remus smiled, "Professor Dumbledore, Hermione and the Death Eater's children probably would've already known how to brew that potion, so it wouldn't have made that much difference and we teachers do need to teach our students how to protect themselves, especially during a war..."  
  
Hermione opened her mouth to respond but Remus said, "Harry I need you to come to the headmaster's office after dinner."  
  
"Is there anything wrong?" Harry asked, dreading the answer.  
  
Remus shook his head, "No, no, but it is important that you be there...."  
  
Harry nodded and glanced at his two friends as Remus walked away.  
  
() Okay, hope I didn't freak you out with the whole 'Gateway between Heaven and Hell' thing. Its based off the same thing on Dragon Ball Z just in case there are any DBZ fans out there.  
  
Third chapter is almost done, I think.  
  
Okay well, review please! 


	3. Chapter three Lily's Letter

Once again, thanks to my reviewers:

**O r i g i n a l1**- Yep! Sirius is back! He is also one of my favorite characters and I cried when he died. Actually, Sirius wasn't in the headmaster's office but he was in the 'Gateway between Heaven and Hell' but not to worry, he is coming back as it says in the challenge but he won't be coming back for a couple of chapters....sorry...

**calicat**- Yes, I have been thinking that the challenge has to many requirments to and I am going to take off some of the requirments. Thanks for the review!

**Remo Con**- I love DBZ also but like you said, DBGT is not as near as good as it. Thanks for the review!

**Doneril**- Thanks! His trial won't be for a while I'm afraid...

**heala**- LOL! Harry is going to be Severus' son and he is going to be bit after he finds out.

**Cyn Wraith**- Thanks!

**Hermione Malfoy Potter**- Thanks!

Okay, ATENTION TO ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN THE WEREWOLF CHALLENGE! As of now I have taken off a couple requirements, not anything major, but a couple nevertheless.

Alright, I know you guys are tired of me blabbering so let's get on with the story...

Chapter three- Lily's letter  
  
Harry walked to the headmaster's office by himself; Ron and Hermione had had prefect duties so they couldn't come with Harry.  
  
Anxiety and dread accompanied Harry every step of the way and as he got closer, he felt as if his legs were slowly turning to lead. He hadn't spoken to Dumbledore since the end of last year, when he had been told about the prophecy and had nearly destroyed the headmaster's office.  
  
He had been furious with Dumbledore for keeping the truth from him all this time at first, but then he had realized that the old man had only wanted what was best for him, he had realized that the headmaster was only human, and could make mistakes.  
  
But still, even if he wasn't mad at the man anymore, it still filled him with a sense of dread whenever he thought about talking to him.  
  
Mainly because Harry was afraid that Dumbledore was mad at him for destroying his things and would punish him.  
  
Harry shivered slightly at the thought.  
  
He approached the gargoyle and found that he didn't know the password.  
  
"Ah....Chocolate Frogs?" he asked hesitantly and the gargoyle stared back at him, not moving. He huffed in annoyance and started naming sweets off the top of his head.  
  
"Fizzing Whizzbees, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans, Lickerish Wands, Cockroach Clusters, Acid Pop..." the stone gargoyle finally jumped aside at the last candy named and Harry walked up the revolving staircase and knocked on the headmaster's door.  
  
To his surprise, not only was Dumbledore and Remus seated, but also Snape, who looked highly annoyed, his arms crossed impatiently.  
  
"Well now that the celebrity has finally decided to take time out of his busy schedule to grace us with his presence, I would like to know why exactly I am here headmaster..." Snape stated quite rudely. He turned to glare at Harry, as if it was his fault that he was here.  
  
Harry met the penetrating glare and felt a sharp pain in his head (not his scar) before breaking eye contact with the hated professor.  
  
Snape smirked and said tauntingly, "I would have thought that you would have learned your lesson about Occlumency and practiced on your own after that rather....unfortunate incident at the end of last year, Potter. Then again, the famous Boy-Who-Lived is to foolish to even think of it! Even when his own Godfather is dead because of his foolishness..."  
  
"That's enough, Severus..." Dumbledore warned as he fixed his blue eyes on Harry.  
  
Remus was staring at Snape as if there was nothing he would have liked better then punching in his large nose.  
  
Snape sneered at the werewolf and Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Enough! Now, what I am about to tell you with effect all of you in some ways I'm sure, but mostly you and Harry, Severus so I need for you all to please try and get along!"  
  
"And why would it effect Potter and I the most, headmaster?" Snape asked in a strained tone, his black eyes glittering.  
  
"Severus, calm down" Dumbledore said tiredly and Snape scoffed, "Then allow me to leave, I am sure that my presence isn't entirely important if it includes Potter..."  
  
Harry and Remus had watched the exchange silently. Remus cleared his throat, obviously quite annoyed by being off topic of whatever it is they had come for.  
  
"Now..." Dumbledore began as he held up a piece of paper, "I have here a delayed letter from Lily Potter.."  
  
The response was quite amazing to Harry.  
  
Professor Snape, who had been scowling, had immediately sat up in his chair, his face unreadable.  
  
Remus had paled and was now looking at Dumbledore wearily.  
  
Harry himself had blinked in confusion and sat up in his chair also. A letter from his mother? Who was it to? Was it to him? What did it say? Why did she send it?  
  
The four were silent for a couple minutes before Harry spoke up, "Why would she send a delayed letter, Professor?"  
  
Remus nodded to Harry's question but Snape remained still, though it was obvious that he was listening intently.  
  
"It would be easier if I were to read it to you all...." Dumbledore told them, looking tired all of the sudden. "And may I remind all that you that besides her no one, except James had any idea about this..."  
  
Remus and Harry stared in confusion at Dumbledore and Snape sneered, "Well get on with it!" there was a tad of impatience in his voice.  
  
Dumbledore read:  
  
_'Dear Albus,  
  
I suppose you are wondering why I am sending you this letter, especially when I am probably already dead and have been for some time but you will understand later....you always do and this is something of utmost importance that I had to tell you.  
  
First off, if James and I are betrayed, please know that it was Peter Pettigrew who betrayed us and not Sirius Black.  
  
Sirius came to James and I a couple days after the Fidelous Charm was cast, practically begging for us to change secret-keepers. We had to choose Peter because Remus was off on a mission for the Order and he was the closest available that we thought we could trust.  
  
I have a feeling that he will betray us though.....he's a spineless coward who always sticks with the strongest people.  
  
If he does then James and I will die for sure and that will mean that Harry is the prophesized one to defeat Voldemort.  
  
I don't want that to happen, I'd give anything for it to not happen. I want James and I to survive, so we can watch Harry grow up and love him and be there for him like he deserves, like it should be. But if it does happen then Harry will have to go live with Petunia for the blood spell to work and he will be despised there, I know it.....  
  
Harry is probably about sixteen now right? I charmed this letter to come to you on Harry's sixteenth birthday because I feel that he needs to know the truth and the charm I placed on him will be wearing off about three months after his birthday so he will need to understand what is happening to him.  
  
I don't really know how to tell you this, Albus so I will be blunt, James isn't Harry's biological father.  
  
And I didn't love him, I loved Severus.  
  
Severus....I loved him so much and I still do. But we couldn't be together....not when he was still a spy for the light at least....  
  
We agreed to not see each other anymore when we were nineteen, we had been going out together since the sixth year. Since Severus was a Slytherin and I am a Muggle-born, we couldn't let it be known that we were seeing each other. So, James, who had always been on bad terms with me, agreed to patch things up by pretending to be my boyfriend in the seventh year so I could make excuses as to why I wasn't in the Ravenclaw dormitory in the evenings.  
  
But you probably already knew that didn't you?  
  
Anyway, after school, Severus and I continued to see each other until we were nineteen, like I said before. When we agreed not to be together anymore, I never saw him again.  
  
I didn't know at that time that I was pregnant.  
  
When I did find out, I panicked and James agreed to marry me and pretend that the baby was his (you know how much pregnancy without marriage was frowned upon).  
  
That baby is, of course, Harry.  
  
Harry is Severus' son, Albus....please tell Severus...tell him that he has a son....and tell him that I'm sorry....  
  
Tell Harry that both James and I loved him more then life itself and tell him that I'm sorry for not telling him sooner...  
  
Tell both of them the truth, Albus, you know as well as I do that they both are going to need family more then anyone and I don't want my son and the man that I love to be alone.  
  
James and I will always be appreciative for all that you have done for us, Albus....  
  
Love,  
  
Lily Elizabeth Evans-Potter'  
_  
Dumbledore finished the letter softly and looked around the room, almost cautiously.  
  
He glanced at Remus first, knowing that he would be the safest since he wasn't as included as the other two were.  
  
Remus had his mouth wide open, his amber eyes wide and unmoving. He blinked a couple times before making a rather weird sound and closing his mouth with a 'snap' as he met Dumbledore's gaze and they both cautiously glanced over at their two companions.  
  
Harry had a hand up to his mouth, his emerald eyes wide and glazed slightly.  
  
Snape on the other hand had paled dramatically, his hands shaking as his black eyes glittered strangely.  
  
The silence stretched on and Harry finally snapped out of his daze to look at Dumbledore and Remus, staring at them with a lost expression.  
  
He chanced a glance at Snape....how could the greasy git be his father? How could his mother.....sleep with him! Harry nearly gagged at the thought and broke the tense silence awkwardly, "...it can't be true..." he whispered, staring directly at Snape.  
  
Snape looked up to meet the emerald eyes that looked exactly like Lily's and suddenly felt as if he were suffocating...he needed to get out...away from those green eyes.  
  
He stood and whirled, striding toward the door, his mask firmly back in place, aware of those green eyes following him.  
  
"Severus...." Dumbledore said gently. "I know this may come as a big shock to you but think about Harry, Lily would want you two to be a family, she said so in her letter..."  
  
Snape immediately shoved the doors open with an alarming 'bang' and walked down to his dungeons.  
  
"Severus!" he heard Dumbledore yelling after him and he broke off into a run.  
  
How could Lily lie to him like that? How could the Potter-brat be his son? No, it was impossible...there was no way....  
  
No.  
  
He refused to accept that he had sired such an ungrateful, selfish, little whiny brat for a son!  
  
But it was true and he knew it, but that didn't mean that he was going to suddenly accept the boy! He hated Potter....Snape.....whoever the hell he was...and one discovery would not erase five years of hatred placed upon the boy.  
  
Yes, at first he had hated Potter because of who his father was but as the years went on, Snape had developed a true hatred for Potter himself.  
  
Maybe it was because the boy's temper had matched his exactly and he had stood up to him instead of trembling in fear with the other students.  
  
Or maybe it was because the boy had lived and Lily hadn't....and Snape blamed the boy because Lily had died saving him....  
  
Or maybe it was because the boy was the unity of Lily and James Potter, and he felt as if he had been betrayed.  
  
Maybe it was just all three and it probably was.....but the boy was his son....and when Snape had been younger he had swore to himself that he would always love his children and would never be like his father had been....an uncaring bastard...  
  
He stumbled into his private rooms almost blindly, the lights coming on automatically.  
  
He opened a cabinet, pulled out a bottle of rum and poured a large glassful before gulping it down greedily.  
  
Yep...besides terrorizing students this was his stress-reliever right here....at least whenever he got drunk, he forgot his worries which was definitely what he needed now.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Harry sat in the headmaster's office, still not moving from the position he was in. Slowly, he turned back towards the other occupants of the room.  
  
"Harry, are you alright?" Dumbledore asked gently.  
  
Harry didn't say anything.....he didn't know if he was alright or not, he was practically numb.  
  
"So..." he began, his mouth feeling dry as stated the horrible truth. "...so, Snape is my father..." he swallowed, "..and my whole life has been a lie.."  
  
"No!" both Dumbledore and Remus yelled at the same time. Harry looked up to meet their eyes, his own brimming with unshed tears.  
  
"Yes it has! My whole life has been a lie! I'm not 'Harry Potter' anymore! I'm not the beloved son of Lily and James Potter who loved me so much that they gave their lives for me.....no... I'm 'Harry Snape'! Son of the most hated teacher at Hogwarts, hated by his own father..." he ranted nonchalantly.  
  
"Harry!" Remus interrupted him. "James loved you like a son! I know that because when you were born....James wouldn't stop bragging about you...and Lily, she loved you so much, they both did!" he told him softly as he made his way over to Harry's chair and squatted beside him.  
  
"And I love you just as much as I did before regardless of who your father is....you're like a son to me Harry, you were like a son to Sirius also and I'm sure he wouldn't have stopped caring for you just because of something that you cant help..."  
  
Harry let Remus' words wash over him as he tried to calm himself down enough to ask the next question, "What are we going to do? She....my mom said that the charm would start to wear off near Halloween..."  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "Well we certainly can not let anyone know about this..."  
  
Harry's head snapped up, "You mean were going to keep it a secret?!"  
  
"That is the only choice, my boy, Severus is a spy and if it were to get out that you were his son....Tom would not be pleased..." Dumbledore muttered wearily.  
  
"Am I going to go into hiding?" Harry asked, fearing the answer.  
  
"No......its been a long night, Harry and you've had a big shock....I suspect you want to get back to the common room to tell Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger about this discovery?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling.  
  
"er....am I aloud to, sir?"  
  
"I see no reason why not, just as long as you are not overheard..." Dumbledore told him sternly. "This secret must be kept and no one can know Harry, no one besides them because if it were to get out, then I'm afraid this war will come sooner then it is meant..."  
  
Harry nodded to Dumbledore's request. He still felt slightly light-headed from everything.  
  
"Now, you should get some rest, Harry...we'll talk later, when Severus is here.." Dumbledore told him.  
  
Harry nodded again and left.  
  
Remus turned to Dumbledore, "He seems to be taking that almost to well..."  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "Just give it a minute to sink in, Remus, I doubt that young Harry will be getting much sleep tonight..."  
  
"And Severus?" Remus asked and Dumbledore sighed, "Just don't go down to his rooms tonight, Remus, Severus wont be in any condition to talk..."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Harry slowly walked into the common room just as it all seemed to hit him. Severus Snape was his father....and his father hated him.  
  
He suddenly had the urge to cry, he hadn't cried in so long and it all just seemed to pile up on him at this moment, Cedric's death, Sirius' death, him being the prophesized one and now, Snape being his father.....  
  
"Hey Harry!" Hermione said brightly as he spotted her and Ron sitting by a couch, doing homework.  
  
Hermione noticed his forlorn expression, "What's wrong? What happened?"  
  
Harry didn't answer, he past by the two of them and hurried up to his dorm, plopped down on his bed, fully clothed, put up a silencing charm, and cried for the first time in ten years.  
  
He cried because of all that had happened to him, his parent's death, his uncle beating him. He cried for Cedric, who would never grow up and for Sirius, who would never experience freedom. He cried for himself, because he had to defeat the Dark Lord once and for all, because he was terrified that he would loose his friends in the process, and most of all because his whole life had been a lie.....and his father hated him...

() err....okaaay, well hope you liked this chapter...um...ya

Okay, if anyone is going to write a responce to the werewolf challenge, please let me know because I love to read to...

Well, review please!


	4. Chapter four The Transition

Once again thanks to everyone that reviewed. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

Disclaimer- Don't own it.......enough said..

Chapter four- The Transition  
  
Harry woke up with the sun streaming through the window. He groaned and sat up, slipping on his glasses and checking the time by means of wand.  
  
Eleven o'clock!! He missed his first class! And he was about to miss lunch!  
  
He only spared a brief thought as to why he had stayed up so late, before angrily pushing it out of his head as he got dressed and quickly ran down to the common room.  
  
He was surprised to see Ron and Hermione on a couch, waiting for him.  
  
"Come on! What are you waiting for? We're going to be late our second class!" he told them.  
  
Ron looked at him, "Its Saturday, mate remember?"  
  
Harry blinked in realization, "Oh..." was all he said.  
  
"So are you going to tell us what Dumbledore wanted?" Hermione asked, "Why were you so upset Harry?"  
  
"Ya..." Ron cut in. "Because you looked like you were being chased by a werewolf, mate."  
  
Harry swallowed, he was going to have to tell them anyway. He quickly glanced around the common room, no one was in the room. "Where is everybody?" he asked.  
  
"Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff remember?" Hermione asked in concern. "You're really out of it today, Harry, what's wrong?"  
  
He sighed and began, "Alright, Dumbledore got a letter from my mom that told him that James Potter wasn't my dad..."  
  
"What!" Ron yelped in surprise, "How could you not be his son? You look exactly like him from what I've been told..."  
  
Harry nodded, "Yes, almost to much like him, right? It was a charm that my mom put on me when I was born..."  
  
"Did James know?" Hermione asked quietly.  
  
Harry nodded once again, "He married mom to cover up for her sudden pregnancy..."  
  
"So, whose your father? Is he alive?" Ron asked hopefully.  
  
Harry frowned and looked at the ground mumbling, "Ya, he's alive alright...."  
  
"Oh, Harry that's wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed happily.  
  
"Don't get to excited, 'Mione...." Harry mumbled. "Guess who my father is, I'll give you a hint: he works here and hates me..." he said bitterly.  
  
Hermione was the first one to get it, of course, "Professor Snape is your father?!" she shrieked, her brown eyes going wide.  
  
Ron blanched, "Snape's your old man! But...but your to nice to be his son! And not near as greasy...not to mention you have a straight nose..."  
  
Hermione threw her arms around Harry, "Oh it must have been horrible, to find out that he was your father....especially after all this time of hating him....no wonder you didn't want to talk to us last night.."  
  
Ron nodded in agreement, "Really....I mean if I found out that my father was Snape, then I'd probably kill myself..."  
  
Harry stared at them, "You...you mean you're not going to hate me? Because I'm his son?" his voice sounded hopeful.  
  
"Of course not, Harry!" Hermione looked alarmed by the thought of abandoning him. "We've told you before, we'll always stick with you no matter what and we mean it, Harry...just because Snape's your father doesn't mean you're any different..."  
  
"Ya, mate we don't care if that git's your father, its really weird, strange, and disturbing but we'll get over it.." Ron agreed.  
  
Harry sighed in relief, "I was afraid that you guys would......"  
  
Hermione snorted, "Harry you worry to much..."  
  
"Ya, you need to loosen up for a while..." Ron said.  
  
Harry smiled, "I'm lucky to have friends like you two..."  
  
Hermione beamed and Ron snorted, "Come on, mate don't get all sentimental on me....."  
  
The portrait opened and in walked the dozens of chattering Gryffindors. Neville walked over to them, "Why weren't you guys at the Quidditch game? It was awesome!"  
  
"Who won?" Ron and Harry asked at the same time.  
  
"Ravenclaw did, it was really close, the Seekers I mean, it was only luck that Cho caught the snitch before Justin did...." Neville explained, "190 to 50.."  
  
"Justin Finch-Fletchly is the Hufflepuff seeker?" Harry asked in amazement. He hadn't even thought that Justin watched Quidditch, let alone played it.  
  
Neville nodded and the Gryffindors who had just walked in, started to file out once again for lunch.  
  
"Awfully early in the year for Quidditch, isn't it?" Hermione asked and Ron shrugged, "We start as soon as two teams have all their players and the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw team didn't have anyone who left so...."  
  
The three of them left for the Great Hall in time to get some lunch. Harry patently avoided looking at the staff table, he didn't want to see Snape.......his father...  
  
"Tonight's the full moon..." Hermione told them as she glanced up at the staff table, noting Professor Lupin's absence.  
  
Harry grimaced in sympathy for Remus as the three sat down.  
  
Harry, as usual, only served himself a minimum amount and ate about half of it.  
  
Ron, who had been sitting beside him, elbowed him sharply and glanced briefly at the staff table. Harry followed his gaze to Snape, who looked horrible, his pale skin even paler and he had bags under his eyes. Harry looked away as Snape glanced in their direction.  
  
"Don't think he got much sleep either..." Harry muttered quietly to his two friends.  
  
A squawk caught Harry's attention and he looked to see Hedwig flying toward him from the staff table.  
  
She dropped a letter by his roast beef and perched herself on his shoulder. Harry stroked her and gave her a little bit of potato before returning his attention to the letter.  
  
It read:  
  
'_Harry,  
  
After lunch you may go to Professor McGonagall's office to retrieve your firebolt.  
  
Come to my office after dinner tonight. Severus and you need to discuss a few things.  
  
Albus Dumbledore'_  
  
"Oh great..." Harry murmured as he showed Ron and Hermione the letter.  
  
Ron chuckled, "I feel for you, mate..."  
  
Harry stood up and walked from the Great Hall without Ron and Hermione. He walked to the Transfiguration room and knocked on the door, expecting Professor McGonagall to be there, since she hadn't been at lunch.  
  
The door opened and she appeared, "I suppose you're here for your firebolt, Mr. Potter?" Harry nodded, wanting nothing more then to go flying outside.  
  
She went back into the room and appeared again with the firebolt in her arms. Harry immediately broke out into a grin as she handed it to him.  
  
"You are back on the Quidditch team, Mr. Potter and do try to keep your temper in check..." she flashed him a rare smile before shutting the door.  
  
Harry all but ran to the Quidditch Pitch, intending to fly off the stress he was feeling.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
"Are you sure you don't want us to walk with you?" Hermione asked him after dinner in the common room.  
  
Harry nodded and looked away.  
  
"Lots a luck.." Ron muttered. "If you die, can I have your firebolt?"  
  
"Ron!" Hermione snapped, elbowing him in the ribs.  
  
"It'll be okay, Harry..." she told him reassuringly and he smiled at her. Hermione and Ron always seemed to make him feel better.  
  
"I'll see you, then" he said, walking out of the Gryffindor common room and heading to the headmaster's office.  
  
"Acid Pop" he told the gargoyle, which immediately jumped away, and he walked up the staircase, knocking on the door.  
  
"Come in, Harry." He heard Dumbledore's voice and he stepped inside to see the headmaster and Snape seated. Remus was, of course, not there.  
  
"Have a seat, my boy," Dumbledore invited warmly, sensing Harry's unease.  
  
Harry obeyed and sat down, not looking at Snape.  
  
"Now..." the headmaster began, apparently the only one willing to speak. "You both know why you are here....it would be unsafe for everyone to know of your true parentage, Harry and the charm is going to wear off in about a month, so we have that long to figure out what to do..."  
  
"I say we just recast the damn charm and forget about it.." Snape snapped coldly, glaring at the headmaster with his arms folded.  
  
"Now Severus..."  
  
"I am entitled to my own opinion and if I don't want to claim the boy then I won't!" Snape interrupted Dumbledore harshly.  
  
Even though he still hated the man, Harry couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the fact that his father wanted nothing to do with him...  
  
"Yes, you are entitled to your own opinion Severus, but you aren't the only person who gets a say in this..." Dumbledore said in a firm but gentle voice.  
  
Harry sneered, "Oh don't worry about me Professor Dumbledore, I'm sure I won't miss him that much..."  
  
Snape scowled at him, "As if you don't spend enough time making my life hell during the school year, you are not taking away the only break I get from you and your classmates' whining!"  
  
"Severus, Harry!" Dumbledore said sharply. They both immediately fell silent.  
  
"Now I don't expect the two of you to get along right from the start..." Severus snorted. "...but you will need to at least act civil to each other if you want this to remain a secret!" Dumbledore told them.  
  
Harry sighed and looked at the ground but Severus still sneered, "Why take him from his relative's headmaster? I'm sure he's so worshipped there that he doesn't even think about his parents and their sacrifice for him!"  
  
Harry felt a stab of pain in his heart as he remembered his mother's screams whenever the dementors got close...  
  
"Severus, you know nothing of the Dursley's and how they treat Harry..." Dumbledore began but Harry cut him off before the old man could reveal anything.  
  
"Don't worry headmaster, I'm sure he'll treat me the same as the Dursley's do so there's really no point..." Harry replied crisply.  
  
Both of the two men stared at Harry, Snape because he thought Harry was saying that he'd treat him as a king if Harry were to live with him, and Dumbledore because he knew that Harry was saying that Severus would abuse him if Harry were to live with him.  
  
"Harry....Severus would never..."  
  
Snape cut off Dumbledore's appalled response.  
  
"Think I would treat you as a king do you?" he looked furious.  
  
"Severus, Harry didn't mean it like that.."  
  
"I, unlike others, know that you are NOTHING special, Potter. You only survived because Lily died saving you and you don't even care! You go off and risk your life and try to be a bloody hero, not even stopping to think of what she sacrificed for your ungrateful, worthless life!" Severus bellowed.  
  
"Severus!"  
  
"You hear me, Potter? You are WORTHLESS and that will NEVER change! You're an ungrateful, little whiny brat, with a big head who complains just because he has to face the realities of life, you hear me! You are NOTHING to me! I'm ashamed that I sired such a child!" Severus yelled, glaring in utmost loathing at Harry as if he'd like nothing better then to strangle him.  
  
"Severus Snape! What is wrong with you! Harry didn't mean anything by that and you know it!" Dumbledore shouted, his eyes blazing in fury at Snape.  
  
Harry had by that point, paled and was now looking at his hands.  
  
Worthless, ungrateful, nothing.....  
  
Those words sounded way to much like Vernon's words. Harry blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.  
  
I am worthless... he told himself. I am nothing....a waste of space...a waste of life...I don't deserve to live....  
  
Usually he would have just grown angry at Snape's yelled words but Snape had never said anything like this....yes he said something remotely similar but never something this harshly...and everything that the man said seemed to hit him a million times harder....  
  
Harry squeezed his eyes shut. Distantly, he could here Dumbledore and Snape shouting at each other about him..... They were arguing because of him....it was all his fault...everything was always his fault...  
  
Harry stood up and turned around, heading for the door.  
  
"Harry wait!" Dumbledore called after him as he started down the staircase.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Potter get back here! No one dismissed you!"  
  
The hate and loathing in Snape's voice washed over Harry and he suddenly broke into a run as he ran down the corridors blindly, not knowing where he was going or not really caring.  
  
Cool air filled his lungs as he burst through the large doors that led out of Hogwarts and he ran blindly, as fast as he could, away from the headmaster, away from his friends, away from Snape and the absolute loathing in his voice whenever he spoke to him.  
  
He ran over to the Whomping Willow and pressed the knot before heading down the tunnel and into the Shrieking Shack.  
  
He stumbled into one of the bedrooms and sat on the bed, taking in deep breaths.  
  
Harry sat there for a minute, calming himself down before he got his bearings back and looked around.  
  
This place reminded him strongly of Sirius and it brought tears to his eyes. His vision blurred as he got up and leaned on the table for support.  
  
It was wet.  
  
Harry blinked and quickly wiped his eyes as he stared at the table. There was an overturned goblet, only droplets of liquid still in there and the rest of whatever had been in the goblet was now on the table, dripping onto the floor.  
  
Harry brought his wet hand to his face and cautiously tasted it.  
  
Ugh! It tasted horrible! He smelled it, trying to figure out what it was.... It smelled strange, like a potion.....and the liquid was steaming slightly. The answer hit him like a ton of bricks.  
  
It was the Wolfsbane Potion.....  
  
Which meant that Remus was in the here, with him, and he didn't have his potion....he didn't have any control of his mind!  
  
Harry's heart thudded against his chest so hard that he could hear it, and suddenly he wished that he could make it stop pounding so loud....surely Remus would hear it.  
  
His breathing was shallow as he had a brief flashback of his third year, and how Remus had had absolutely no control of his mind...  
  
Carefully, Harry slowly opened the door of the bedroom and glanced around the hall of the Shrieking Shack. He had to get out of here! He cautiously edged through the door and started down the hall to the stairs.  
  
Glancing around, Harry started up the steps, still looking backwards so he didn't see the shoe in his way as he climbed the stairs.  
  
Harry turned just as he slipped on the shoe and let out a yell as he tumbled back down the stairs. Frantically he tried to get back up when he heard a growl.  
  
He turned to see a very familiar werewolf staring at him through hungry eyes. Harry was petrified, he couldn't move....his legs turned to lead as his professor approached him, saliva dripped from the yellow dagger-like teeth. He was already matted with blood from where he had bitten himself.  
  
Harry trembled and slowly backed away as he felt himself almost greet death.  
  
Remus seemed to smell his fear as he advanced on the shaking boy.  
  
"Professor Lupin....?" Harry whispered in a vain attempt to reach the man he considered a second Godfather. "...Remus?" he asked in a tiny voice that he only used when he was being beaten.  
  
The wolf roared, snapping his long jaws hungrily as he leapt at Harry.  
  
Harry gave a scream and dodged it, running as fast as he could up the stairs. He heard Remus give a howl and dash up after him.  
  
Harry made it to the top of the stairs and scurried to the tunnel, Remus leapt in front of the only exit, licking his chops hungrily as he loomed over Harry.  
  
"Potter? Where are you?"  
  
Harry had never been so relieved to hear Snape's voice, but it sounded distant, very far away.  
  
"PROFESSOR!" he yelled desperately, slowly backing away from the wolf. "HELP ME!!! PLEASE HELP ME, PROFESSOR! I'M IN HERE _QUICK_!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs, praying that Snape had heard him.  
  
Harry hurried back down the stairs in an attempt to put more space between Remus and himself.  
  
Remus leapt at him once again and caught Harry off guard. Harry's breath was knocked out of him as the wolf leapt on his chest, shoving him forcefully to the ground, baring his yellow teeth hungrily.  
  
Harry felt like his heart was going to pop out of his chest as he thought over and over, 'I'm going to die...I'm going to die...' he could almost see his life flashing before his eyes.  
  
"Potter! Damn it boy where are yo-" Snape froze as he saw the wolf, on top of Harry.  
  
"Help me!! Please help me, Professor I don't want to die!!" Harry whimpered, not caring what Snape thought of him.  
  
"Stupify!" Snape roared and Lupin leapt off Harry to avoid the spell.  
  
"RUN POTTER!!" Snape bellowed as Lupin advanced at him but Harry felt as if his ribs were broken, which they probably were, so when he tried to get up, he fell back down in pain.  
  
The wolf leapt at Snape, who froze, and knocked the man down, growling threateningly at him before knocked him into a wall.  
  
Harry stared in horror at Snape's crumpled form. No! he thought to himself. He can't die! He can't be dead!  
  
He was snapped out of his thoughts as the wolf advanced again on him and Harry ran as fast as he could toward the stairs, all in vain though as Remus once again blocked his way and Harry tumbled down the stairs again in an attempt to get away from the wolf.  
  
His head connected with the last stone step and it exploded with pain as stars clouded Harry's vision.  
  
He felt the suffocating weight on his chest again and shook his head to clear his vision.  
  
The last thing Harry saw was Remus sinking his teeth into his shoulder.  
  
Harry felt an exploding pain, not only in his shoulder, but in his entire body as he felt something akin to venom passing through his body like liquid fire.  
  
He screamed so loud that he feared his lungs would explode, even when his throat went raw, he continued to scream.  
  
Everything went black.

() Well there ya go! Also it may take a bit longer for the next update because these last four chapters I already had written out so......ya...

Well, Review!

Bye!


	5. Chapter five No Longer Human

Thanks again to my reviewers!

Chapter five- No longer human  
  
He felt so warm and incredibly comfortable. He slowly opened his eyes and was met with darkness.  
  
Harry shifted slightly and immediately regretted it as pain shot through his left shoulder. He groaned as he remembered what had happened....Remus had bitten him and he wasn't dead....  
  
So he was a werewolf...  
  
Harry choked slightly, oh God! He was a werewolf! He...he wasn't human anymore! Was he going to be shunned like Remus was? Was everyone going to now stare at him with even more hatred and disgust?  
  
He was attacked with these questions and suddenly found it increasingly difficult to breath. He was suffocating! He needed help!  
  
All at once the curtains surrounding his bed was ripped aside as Madame Pomfrey hurried over to his side, a Calming Potion in hand.  
  
"He's hyperventilating!" she shrieked to someone that Harry couldn't see.  
  
"Here, dear, drink some of this come on..."  
  
Harry stared at her, could she not understand that he couldn't breath?! And she expected him to drink a potion! His lungs felt as if they were on fire! It became even harder to breath and Harry suddenly felt like he was trying to breathe in concrete.  
  
"You need to calm down, Harry.." Dumbledore came into view and immediately sat down beside him, taking his hand, "Calm down, child...calm down and breath, everything will be alright..."  
  
Harry felt tranquility wash over him at the headmasters soothing words. He drank the potion, spilling a bit in his lap, but drinking it nevertheless. He immediately felt calm and peaceful his breathing evened out.  
  
Dumbledore carefully put a cooling cloth on his head and Harry relaxed.  
  
"Where's Professor Snape?" he asked as he remembered Snape's attempt to save his life.....again.  
  
"He is in the bed beside you, Harry." Dumbledore told him gently. "You are very lucky that he was there or else you might have been killed. Severus petrified Remus right after he had bit you.....what on earth were you doing down there, Harry? You knew it was full moon!" the disappointment in Dumbledore's voice made Harry feel an immense amount of guilt.  
  
"I didn't know Remus went to the Shrieking Shack, I thought he just stayed in his office and I didn't even realize where I was going until I was already inside!" Harry exclaimed loudly and Dumbledore shushed him and gestured over to Snape.  
  
Harry thought for a moment, "I'm a werewolf now, aren't I?" he whispered fearfully, fully knowing the answer to the question.  
  
Dumbledore nodded slowly, "I'm afraid so, my boy..."  
  
Harry's face screwed up slightly as he hung his head, his life was ruined and now everyone would hate him....again...  
  
"What day is it?" he asked finally.  
  
"Sunday night..." Dumbledore told him and Harry groaned, Ron and Hermione would be worried sick!  
  
"Does anyone know?"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head, "Besides you, Severus, Remus, Poppy, and I, no..."  
  
Harry swallowed and played with the bed sheet, "Are you going to tell anyone?" he asked in a small voice.  
  
"Not if you don't want me to, Harry."  
  
Harry breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the headmaster, "How's Remus?" he asked quietly.  
  
Dumbledore looked tired all of the sudden, "He blames himself, of course, for not taking his potion in time before his transformation....he felt horrible and wanted to resign immediately..."  
  
"You didn't let him, did you!" Harry exclaimed and Dumbledore shook his head.  
  
"I told him you wouldn't want that and that you would need him during the full moon, so he stayed..."  
  
Harry breathed a sigh of relief once again before slumping back into the pillows.  
  
Dumbledore stood up, "You need your rest Harry.....I'll see you in the morning, you have classes off of course!" the headmaster sounded almost cheery as he strolled out of the Hospital Wing.  
  
Harry nodded, feeling his eyelids droop.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Later on that night, Harry woke up to voices in the Hospital Wing, his now acute sense of hearing had made their voices seem like they were yelling.  
  
Harry remained still as he listened quietly, noting with some happiness that he could see perfectly without his glasses.  
  
"Severus? Are you alright?" the headmaster.  
  
A soft groan was heard and the sound of shifting reached Harry's ears as he realized that his Potion's Master was just waking up.  
  
"Headmaster...." Came Snape's drowsy voice. "Where am I?"  
  
"You're in the Hospital Wing, Severus, its alright, you're safe..."  
  
"....and Potter?" Snape said, his voice hesitant and strangely guarded.  
  
"He's in the bed right next to you..." came Dumbledore's soothing voice.  
  
"I was to late..." Snape muttered in an almost distressed voice. "The bloody werewolf bit him before I could stun him!" he hissed in fury.  
  
"There was nothing anyone could have done Severus..."  
  
"I could have gotten down there faster! I should have! Then he wouldn't be a werewolf and he could go on living his normal life..."  
  
"I didn't know you cared, Severus..." there was a hint of amusement in Dumbledore's voice.  
  
"Shut up, Albus!" Snape snapped and Harry had to hold back a snigger as he thought of Dumbledore's face. "Besides..." Snape went on. "....I suppose you'd feel the least consideration for him if you had heard him begging for his life.....not to mention that he's cursed now...his life is ruined, Albus..."  
  
"No its not, Severus! Its merely changed, different, just like it is because of the discovery of his parentage."  
  
Snape was silent and Harry could almost see him sneering at what Dumbledore had said.  
  
"Are you going to claim him or not when this war is over, Severus?"  
  
"What do you think!" Snape hissed. "I may have saved his life and he may be my.....son but that doesn't erase five years of hatred for the boy..."  
  
"Severus, you need to open up to someone again, if you don't then it'll just eat you up and kill you!"  
  
"You know I cant Albus nor do I have any desire to.."  
  
"You told me that sixteen years ago, Severus and look what happened to Lily.."  
  
"Don't you dare talk about her! You have no right!" Snape snarled in fury.  
  
There was silence again. Then:  
  
"So you're just going to send Harry back to his relatives? You are not even going to try to get to know your son?"  
  
"Albus there's really no point...."  
  
"Like hell there is, Severus!" Dumbledore shouted and Harry had to hold back a gasp of shock, he had never heard the headmaster get so mad at Snape before, let alone swear.  
  
It was obvious that Snape was shocked also, since he didn't retort.  
  
"That boy needs you Severus, he needs someone to care for him like only a parent could! And you need someone to care for to..." Dumbledore continued.  
  
"The werewolf can fill in that space for him, Albus..." Snape sounded quite bored.  
  
"No he can't. He can act as a brother or even an uncle but there is no one, NO ONE that could fill up the space of a father besides the real father, which is you."  
  
"And what if I don't want to be his father?"  
  
"Then you are breaking the promise you made to yourself when you were a child, Severus..."  
  
Harry wondered what exactly that promise was but all he heard was stunned silence.  
  
"That was a long time ago, Albus..." Snape said after a minute. "And this is a different situation..."  
  
"So, you are going to be exactly like your own father, just because you found out your son was someone that you didn't like that much? And you didn't even try to give your relationship a chance?"  
  
"I dont want him! Nor does he need me, Albus!"  
  
"How would you know that?"  
  
"Because he is treated like a king at his relative's and he seems to be perfectly fine and dandy without a father!"  
  
"That is where you are sorely mistaken, Severus.....Harry isn't treated like a king, he isn't even treated like a member of their family! His uncle-"  
  
Harry chose that precise moment to let out a loud cough so that the two would stop talking and Dumbledore wouldn't reveal anything.  
  
"Harry?" Dumbledore asked gently and Harry yawned, stretching as he pretending like he had just woken up.  
  
"Professor?" he groaned, sitting up and taking in the still dark Hospital Wing.  
  
"Good morning, Harry! And how are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully.  
  
"Er..morning? It's still dark..."  
  
"Yes, morning, Harry, its four in the morning!" the headmasters voice was still cheerful and Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes in annoyance.  
  
He looked over at Snape, who looked rather cranky, his mouth curled into a sneer and his arms folded as he glared at Harry.  
  
Harry held back a slight twinge of pain at the loathing in those black eyes, he quickly broke eye contact with the man.  
  
"....Professor.....are you...er....alright?" he asked hesitantly, not wanted to anger his Potion's Professor even more.  
  
"What do you think, Potter!" Snape snarled, wincing as he reached one pale hand to touch the bandage on his head. Harry looked at his bedsheets.  
  
"What in the hell were you doing down there anyway, Potter? Are you really so stupid as to run down to where a werewolf was? Or were you really that desperate for someone to cry all over?" Snape sneered, taking pleasure in seeing Potter's face twist in anger, but feeling slightly at lose in seeing pain in those emerald eyes.  
  
"Severus......when are you going to see past James' facade?" Dumbledore's voice sounded tired and weary. "If you would just push all of the old hatred away and really see the real Harry, then you would see that he is very much like Lily..."  
  
Snape growled, his mouth curling into a slightly twisted smirk, "Oh yes, Albus.....get to know the boy.....open up to someone..." Snape' s voice took on a mocking tone.  
  
"Now Severus, that's really not-"  
  
"......next you'll be wanting me to invite the Dark Lord for tea!"  
  
Dumbledore stopped and smiled, his blue eyes twinkling merrily as he said, "Well, this is Professor Vector's last year and Arithmancy _was _one of Tom's best subjects....." he looked thoughtful.  
  
Snape scowled. Harry snorted, unintentionally making the two men remember that he was still in the room.  
  
"As much fun as this conversation is, Albus, I really must get to work on making a batch of Wolfsbane Potion for _two_...." Snape stated quite coldly as he threw another glare at Harry.  
  
"Now Severus, you know you shouldn't be leaving the Hospital Wing, you might have a concussion...." the old man said gently.  
  
Snape sneered, "Oh yes, I might have a concussion due to a rather foolish boy even for a Gryffindor...." he stared right at Harry as he said it and Harry felt annoyance rising in him as he glared right back at the man, feeling something vicious rising up in him.  
  
Snape gasped as Harry's emerald eyes flashed amber for a few seconds before returning to their natural color. Dumbledore smiled, "Interesting..." he said, all twinkles.  
  
Harry frowned to himself as he shook his head, stubbornly pushing the wolf down.  
  
"Well Harry!" Dumbledore still had that annoyingly cheerful voice. "I suppose you and Remus will be spending more time together now, especially when he needs to teach you to control yourself..."  
  
"He probably wouldn't have a lot of trouble if he had practiced Occlumency instead of acting like an impertinent brat and looking into my pensive!" Snape growled in anger as he glared at Harry.....again.  
  
Harry grit his teeth in anger and felt a burning anger rise up in him....  
  
"Severus...." Dumbledore warned as Harry's eyes flashed to amber again. "You need to watch your temper..."  
  
Snape sneered at the two of them and folded his arms again, "Or what, might I ask Albus? Its not the full-moon, he's not dangerous _now_...."  
  
"Nevertheless Severus, you do not want to anger a werewolf, I would have thought that you would have learned that lesson by now...." Dumbledore smiled at Snape, who scowled.  
  
"Can I go back to the Gryffindor Tower now?" Harry asked in a small voice, feeling as if he had interrupted a rather heated disagreement.  
  
"Of course you may Harry," Dumbledore said at the exact same time that Snape said, "Don't be an idiot Potter, your still unwell."  
  
Harry looked from one teacher to another uncertainly.  
  
"Potter is still unwell, headmaster..." Snape said quietly. "Besides, he still needs to control his temper, you wouldn't want one of your precious students to be attacked by your golden-boy would you?"  
  
Dumbledore groaned audibly as Harry felt anger rising up in him once again.  
  
"Severus....we need to work on how you word things...."  
  
() Okay, that's done so, ya....

Shorter then usual but I wanted to get this one out....  
  
Not much action in this chapter but hey! Snape, Dumbledore, and Harry talking, those are always interesting!  
  
Review please!  
  
Bye!


	6. Chapter six The plan and Padfoot returns...

Hello everyone! Thanks again to everyone who reviewed:

Anime-Flame- Here's the update, hope you like!

mitchell- Thanks! I'm glad that you think my Snape is not OOC.

Badassgothicgirl- He will find out soon.

BlindJedi- Thanks! I'm not sure about the couples yet, it might not be a romance story, I'm not sure. I think I mainly want this story to demonstrate Ron, Hermione, and Harry's friendship though (I know it sound corny ).

leggylover03- He will find out about Harry's crappy life soon enough, I asure you. Thanks for the review.

heala- yes, Remus will make his appearance next chapter.

Kamorie- Yeah, well I'm trying to make Snape IC but he will warm up to Harry eventually.

emikae- Thanks!

leev- Remus will make an appearance next chapter, I promise since the story does have to be mainly about him too.

Cyn Wraith- Many thanks! Yeah I do have alot coming up and I will try my best to keep them all IC, a least a little. At first, I was going to make Harry tell Ron and Hermione about him being a werewolf, but then I decided not too.

Anarane Anwamane- Thanks!

your true fan- #blushes# Thanks!

ckat44- okeydokey! I'll try to read it!

Catti- Thanks!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, I LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Okay, enough of my blabbering, on with the next chapter!

Chapter six- The plan and Padfoot returns!

"HOW COULD YOU!!! HOW DARE YOU!!! I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS, ALBUS YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT!!!"  
  
Harry winced as his hands shot up to cover his ears. He groggily sat up, noting the sunlight that was now pouring through the window. He had fallen asleep shortly after his talk with Dumbledore and Snape, and was just now getting up.  
  
"Now Severus, be reasonable, it's the only choice we have...." He heard Dumbledore saying soothingly from the bed beside him.  
  
Harry looked at the two to see Snape looking more furious then he had when Sirius had gotten away in his third year and Dumbledore looking quite calm.  
  
"I absolutely refuse to! You cannot make me!" Snape spat to Dumbledore, who sighed wearily.  
  
"I know I cannot make you, Severus, but think about it.... Lily would have wanted you two to be family and Harry needs you and we had already agreed that he was going to go under cover as your son before..." Dumbledore tried to reason.  
  
"No, _you_ agreed to that bloody plan, I wanted nothing to do with it! I want nothing to do with _him_!"  
  
"Severus please.....he is you and Lily's son! You've always wanted a son, you and Lily were planning on starting a family after the war was over...." Dumbledore said gently.  
  
Snape growled, folding his arms and glaring at Harry. "Eavesdropping again, Potter?" he snapped coldly and Harry flinched slightly. Snape arched an eyebrow at his reaction briefly before dismissing it and turning back to Dumbledore.  
  
"You are not really giving me a choice, are you?" he said, his voice oddly calm now.  
  
Dumbledore looked saddened, "Severus, you know that it has to be done.....there is no way to replace the charms placed on Harry....it could endanger both yours and Harry's life if you were to reveal this secret...."  
  
Snape once again glared heatedly at Harry, "Fine!" he snapped finally before adding spitefully to Harry, "But if you didn't happen to be the prophesized one to defeat the Dark Lord then I wouldn't bother, mark my words!"  
  
Harry glared right back and said to Dumbledore miserably, "I still am the prophesized one, aren't I?"  
  
"I'm afraid so, Harry...." Dumbledore said sadly. "You were born to Lily and James, they both loved you so much....."  
  
Harry nodded, feeling his hopes crumble before adding quietly, "I suppose it is a good thing......I wouldn't want Neville to have to beat him.....he's been through enough with his parents...."  
  
Dumbledore stared at him, "So have you, Harry. You don't deserve this either."  
  
Harry shrugged in response, "So what are we doing anyway?" he grinned sheepishly.  
  
Snape growled and snapped, "If you had been paying attention then you would have heard!"  
  
"Severus...." Dumbledore murmured tiredly, "Please....." He turned his attention back to Harry, "We have a plan. No one knows your condition from being bitten on Saturday except Remus, who hasn't told anyone under my orders."  
  
Dumbledore paused to collect his thoughts before continuing, "We are going to say that you were killed...."  
  
"What?!" Harry all but shouted.  
  
Dumbledore shushed him.  
  
"Calm down, Harry its going to be okay..."  
  
"How is it going to be okay when you are telling everyone that I died?!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"We are going to reintroduce you as Severus' son and we need to....well.....get rid of....Harry Potter....." Dumbledore looked at his wrinkled hands.  
  
Harry gawked at him, "You do realize that your talking about me don't you? It sounds like you want to kill me!"  
  
"Harry....." Dumbledore said gently. "It would be to suspicious for you to just disappear and for Severus' son to just appear...."  
  
Harry looked at his own hands frowning, it did make sense but.....that would mean that he would never be himself again.......that he'd have to start all over....  
  
"Harry, it's the only way to protect you and Severus...."  
  
"Of course..." Harry snapped suddenly, "Protect me! Always to protect me! Merlin, I'm sick and tired of being so bloody overprotected!" The anger wasn't directed at Dumbledore but still, the room began to tremor slightly, the lights flickering madly.  
  
"Harry!" Dumbledore took hold of either of his shoulder blades. "Harry, calm down, relax and breathe!"  
  
"Calm yourself, Potter!" he heard Snape's voice call to him distantly.  
  
Harry obeyed, taking in deep breaths and trying to clear his head. Gradually the room settled down, the lights brightening once again.  
  
"Harry? Are you alright?" Dumbledore's concerned voice asked him softly.  
  
Harry nodded and dropped his head in his hands feeling slightly ashamed by his lose of temper. "I'm sorry...." He muttered and Dumbledore patted him on the back gently.  
  
"No harm done Harry!" Dumbledore sounded cheery and Harry stared at the man.  
  
He suddenly went on, "So that's basically the plan.... Say that 'Harry Potter' died and reintroduce you as Severus' son."  
  
Harry looked around from Dumbledore's serious expression to Snape's furious one and slowly nodded, "Okay......if you think that'll work...." He sounded miserable, and he was. He would never get to be 'Harry Potter' again, he would never have fun little adventures with Ron and Hermione, he'd never play Gryffindor Seeker on the Quidditch team....but, in a way it was kind of a relief, he would finally have a chance to be normal.....or as normal as being your most hated professor's son could be...  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
#SATURDAY NIGHT#  
  
Sirius shifted slightly, pain shooting through his body as he sat up, slowly coming to.  
  
He rubbed his eyes and looked around. He was in the Death Chamber, right beside the veil, which was fluttering slightly.  
  
He looked around once again, thankful that the room was empty before he realized what had just happened.  
  
He had just came back to life.....he was alive....  
  
"I'm back...." He whispered to himself, his face breaking out into a small smile.  
  
"I'm Back!" he said again, his voice stronger this time.  
  
Sirius suddenly jumped up and flexed his legs before throwing his head back and laughing wildly.  
  
"I'M BACK!!!" he yelled, laughing hysterically.  
  
He would get to see Harry again, he could only imagine the look on the boy's face when he suddenly popped up.  
  
At the thought of Harry, Sirius suddenly let out a loud whoop of joy as he raced up the arena stairs to where the door was.  
  
He calmed himself down and peered through the slightly opened door to make sure that no one was around.  
  
It was empty and Sirius noticed as he strained his ears slightly, that there was absolutely no noise in the Department of Mysteries it was completely quiet.  
  
He cautiously walked into the room with the many doors and glanced at each door uncertainly. "The exit....?" He asked unsurely.  
  
One of the doors flew open, to reveal a hallway and what looked like a lift. Sirius pressed the 'up' button and waited as the lift clattered up to the Atrium, he stepped out cautiously to see only a security guard, who was currently asleep, at the desk where they weighed your wand.  
  
Sirius scowled and transformed into the great, black dog known as Padfoot. He crept pass the snoring guard silently.  
  
_'Must be late at night or early in the morning......'_ he thought to himself briefly before padding silently to the telephone booth.  
  
As soon as he stepped in, it lifted and he waited impatiently until it reached it's destination before bounding out of it and out into a deserted street, one thing intent on his mind.  
  
_Get to Hogwarts.........to Harry.  
_  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
#PRESENT TIME#  
  
"Don't you think it'll be quite weird if I just pop out of nowhere?" Harry asked Dumbledore and Snape quietly.  
  
Snape sneered and opened his mouth to say something quite rude when Dumbledore cut him off, "We have a background story prepared, Harry, don't worry."  
  
Harry shrugged, sipping on his pumpkin juice from his lunch. "What is it?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled slightly and glanced at Snape, who growled and turned away from the twinkling gaze.  
  
"Simply that Severus had a brief affair with a muggle-born woman and when she left, she was unknowingly pregnant and never told Severus. Simple as that...." Dumbledore explained matter-of-factly.  
  
Harry arched an eyebrow in a scary resemblance of his potion's professor. There was nothing simple about that! What about the woman, his supposed mother, how were they going to explain her existence?  
  
As if reading his mind, Dumbledore said, "I have made a fake identity of a woman named, 'Sara Smith', a quite common name. She lived in an orphanage known as St. Kolvies Childcare Orphanage until she was eleven where she was accepted at a private witchcraft and wizardry school in China, she died giving birth to you a year after graduating and you were sent to live in St. Kolvies orphanage until you were eleven when you attended the same school as your mother until it was shut down this past summer." He explained quickly, as if he had rehearsed it several times.  
  
Harry once again stared at him, "But.....when someone looks into the records at that orphanage and the school, wont they know that neither 'Sara Smith' or I attended?"  
  
To Harry's surprise, Dumbledore smiled, "That wont be a problem. As I said, the school was closed down this summer and the orphanage was destroyed in a fire a couple months ago, so there wouldn't be any records of you or Sara Smith living there."  
  
"There's one thing I don't get......" Harry muttered. "How did 'my father' supposedly find me after all this time?"  
  
"Quite simple." Dumbledore said breezily. "You had no where to go so you were forced to seek out your father, by means of a simple paternal potion."  
  
"You really thought about this didn't you?" Harry muttered, feeling overwhelmed. Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling, "It was actually quite fun!"  
  
Snape snorted and glared at Dumbledore, "You think its fun to walk around the school, offering random students lemon drops, Albus..." he sneered.  
  
"Well then, the only thing that I need is what his name is going to be, Severus...." Dumbledore looked at Snape expectantly.  
  
Snape's face twisted in fury, "See!" he declared suddenly, standing up, "I KNEW you weren't going to give me a choice, Albus! You already had everything worked out because you were going to go along with this bloody plan even without my approval!"  
  
"Calm yourself, Severus, we had to act quickly and I needed to have a background story for Harry if you did happen to agree...." Dumbledore said quietly.  
  
"Bullocks!" Snape hissed, pointing an accusing finger at Dumbledore. "You tricked me again! I'm tired of being your bloody pawn, Albus! I'm tired of it!" he yelled.  
  
Dumbledore sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly, "Severus.....you are not a pawn nor will you ever be a pawn to me and you know it....you're like a son to me Severus and I would never make you do anything that you didn't want to do...."  
  
Snape didn't seem to have a retort for that as he fell silent, still glaring at Dumbledore though it wasn't as heated as before.  
  
"Now......what do you wish to name your son, Severus?" Dumbledore asked him in a careful voice, as to not irritate the Potion's Master even more.  
  
Snape opened his mouth to say something but a yell echoed from Madame Pomfrey's office shrilly.  
  
Dumbledore immediately hurried into the office, Snape trailing behind and Harry sat up in bed curiously.  
  
Dumbledore walked over to the lit fireplace in Poppy Pomfrey's office and nodded to the face in it.  
  
"Ahhh, Poppy, how can I help you?" he asked to Poppy's floating head.  
  
"For one thing, Albus, you can unlock the Hospital Wing! I have three injured Ravenclaws who have performed the 'Stupefy' spell wrong and need immediate attention!" she snapped furiously.  
  
"Why didn't you just knock?" Dumbledore asked innocently.  
  
"I have been!" Poppy looked highly agitated. "But you apparently put up a silencing charm and couldn't hear us!"  
  
"Oh did I? I had forgotten!" Dumbledore chuckled slightly in amusement but stopped with the medi-witch gave him a withering glare.  
  
"I apologize, Poppy, my mistake...."  
  
"Well you best not forget next time!" she shrieked before disappearing with a loud 'pop'.  
  
Snape snickered, "Problems, headmaster?" he smirked.  
  
Dumbledore shot him a look before walking back into the Hospital Wing. He looked at Harry, "We cannot allow anyone to see you, Harry...." He told the boy and waved his wand at him, "I'm going to put an invisibility charm on you until we can get up to my office. Poppy knows about the situation, I have told her not to talk to anyone about it."  
  
Harry nodded and stepped out of bed, "But if I'm supposed to be dead then what about my body?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "A simple illusion will due...." At this he waved his wand and murmured a spell that Harry didn't hear.  
  
Harry gasped as an exact replica of him appeared on the bed. "How?" he said faintly as he reached out to touch the body only to have his hand go through it.  
  
"It is merely an illusion, Harry....it's not real..."  
  
"But wont people know?" Harry asked uncertainly.  
  
"We will take care of it, don't worry..." Dumbledore told him soothingly. "Now you need to stay silent..." he reached out and pulled the curtains around the illusion-Harry's bed before heading to the door.  
  
He quickly took off the locking and silencing charms that he had placed on the door.  
  
It immediately burst open and Poppy, along with three young looking boys hurried in, the boys sporting some rather nasty welts.  
  
Harry felt a touch of amusement as he remembered all the spells that he'd messed up on.  
  
"I shall be going, Poppy...." Dumbledore told the nurse in a solemn voice.  
  
Poppy frowned, "What's wrong? Is it Potter?"  
  
He nodded sadly and gestured toward the curtained bed, "He has......passed on." The old wizard said in a mournful voice.  
  
If he hadn't known it was an act, Harry would have believed the man. He was quite a good actor.  
  
Poppy gasped, her hands flew up to her mouth as tears gathered in her eyes and Harry smiled, knowing that the secret was safe when it came to Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey.  
  
The three boys had paled and one of them spoke up, "H-Harry Potter is.....dead?" he whispered, fear evident in his voice.  
  
"I'm afraid so..." Dumbledore told them. Harry didn't get to see the look on either of the boys' faces as Snape ran into him roughly, obviously meaning for him to get out of the Hospital Wing. Harry scowled, knowing that the professor couldn't see it, but headed out anyway.  
  
"I shall be informing the school tomorrow morning...." He heard Dumbledore's poignant voice say quietly before they headed off toward the headmaster's office.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
"Can I tell Ron and Hermione?" was Harry's first question as soon as they entered the office, after Dumbledore had lifted the invisibility charm.  
  
"They do know about you being Severus' son don't they?" Dumbledore asked and Harry nodded, scowling.  
  
Snape sneered, "And why, might I ask, did you tell _them_?"  
  
"I don't know, because they're my _friends_!" Harry spat sardonically to the man.  
  
"Well Harry..." Dumbledore said loudly, "They will put two and two together anyway, so I suppose you may tell them.....but you cannot tell them about you being a werewolf."  
  
"Why not?!" Harry exclaimed, not caring if it sounded disrespectful.  
  
Dumbledore sighed, "The fewer people who know, the better...."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Oh do shut up, Potter!" Snape snapped. "You are giving me a bloody headache with your constant bickering and complaining, just _shut up_!"  
  
"Severus...." Dumbledore warned quietly.  
  
Harry huffed in anger and folded his arms. "So what do we to now?" he sounded highly irritated.  
  
"Well, first we shall figure out a name for you, and then we will take the charm off of you. You shall be introduced tonight at dinner...."  
  
"That soon?!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
Dumbledore nodded.  
  
For some reason, Harry glanced over at Snape to see what his expression was.  
  
The man looked highly pissed, to put it bluntly. He turned to meet Harry's gaze and for a moment, the two had a staring contest before it was interrupted by a loud 'thump' on the door.  
  
Dumbledore and Snape exchanged glances before Dumbledore stood up and carefully made his way to the door and opened it.  
  
A large black 'thing' flew in the room at an alarming speed and ran into Harry, who fell out of his chair.  
  
Snape had his wand out and was pointing it at the black form almost immediately.  
  
"Get off him!" he growled to the creature.  
  
Harry gasped, his breath was knocked out of him as the black form stood on his chest. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut as the 'thing' arched back before lunging at him......  
  
.....and he felt a long, pink tongue lick him continuously. Harry choked, his face suddenly soaked as the creature continued to lick him.  
  
Harry finally looked at the creature to realize that it was a dog, a large black dog, that looked very familiar.  
  
_"S-Sirius?"_  
  
He croaked hoarsely, daring to believe it. The dog gave a 'whoof' before jumping off him and transforming.  
  
"SIRIUS??!!!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs as he practically tackled the man. "YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE ACTUALLY ALIVE!" he shouted as he hugged the man as if he were sand, threatening to fall through his fingers.  
  
"It's alright, Harry...." Sirius told him gently as he held the now sobbing boy to him. "I'm okay, I'm alive...."  
  
If anyone looked into Dumbledore's eyes then they might have gone blind by the intense twinkle that was currently residing there.  
  
Snape's face was emotionless as he stared at both Sirius and Harry his eyes betraying the indifference as an emotion that could have been described as jealousy burned intensely in them.  
  
() Okay, I had a hard time with this chapter and I'm not sure if I made any mistakes or not.  
  
Please tell me if it was to confusing or if anything is wrong (I need a beta reader).  
  
I hope that Harry wasn't OOC when he saw Sirius because I kind of thought that his reaction would be similar to that if it was to ever happen.  
  
Also pwease Review!  
  
Bye!


	7. Chapter seven Flashbacks and Confessions

Thanks once again to my reviewers!!!  
  
I don't know if there is going to be romance or not, I will figure that out later but this story is not going to be slash or a character bashing story if anyone was wondering.  
  
Chapter seven- Flashbacks and Confessions  
  
"Severus?" Dumbledore's soft voice rang through the man's ears.  
  
Snape said nothing as he continued to glare in Black's direction.  
  
Black was currently on the couch with Harry, talking to him quietly about what had happened after he had fallen through the veil. Harry seemed very interested as he was listening quite intently.  
  
Snape scowled.  
  
Snape hated Potter, he knew that....but Potter was his son.....HIS son, not Black's! He felt his scowl deepen as Potter laughed at something that Black had said.  
  
Snape knew that he hated Potter....well, maybe not hate exactly, he could never hate his own son, even if it was Potter. Well he may not hate the boy, but he certainly held a strong dislike for him.  
  
So why did he feel like this? Why did he feel a pang of jealousy when he saw how much Potter cared for Black and how much Potter depended on and looked up to Black?  
  
Snape wasn't sure. He didn't like feeling this way, he didn't like feeling jealous because Black had Potter's love, trust, and closeness. He still wanted to insult the boy, in fact he already had mocked Potter about him crying when Black had first shown up....  
  
Damn his emotions.  
  
"Severus?" Dumbledore asked him again and Snape sighed.  
  
"What is it you want, Albus?" he said in an irritated voice. The wizened wizard looked at him in concern, "Are you alright? What's wrong?"  
  
Snape huffed and folded his arms. He was silent for a couple minutes as he continued to watch Potter and Black. Finally, he spoke.  
  
"I'm not supposed to feel like this!" he hissed, glaring in the two's direction.  
  
"Feel like what, Severus?"  
  
Snape growled and turned to glare at Dumbledore, "Oh use your head, Albus!" he snapped before storming out of the office.  
  
Dumbledore stood there for a moment in a rather uncharacteristic moment of bewilderment, finally he thought about the way Severus had been glaring at Sirius..........the usual, utmost hatred and loathing, but there had been something else there.  
  
Jealousy?  
  
Dumbledore frowned slightly and looked over at Harry and Sirius. Could Severus really be jealous of Sirius? Because of how much Harry cared for him?  
  
The thought seemed completely absurd!  
  
Well Severus had always wanted a child when he had been younger......and Dumbledore knew for a fact that the man could NEVER hate his own child, no matter who it was.  
  
Severus had made a private vow to himself that if he had children one day, that he would love them unconditionally. Dumbledore was the only one that had known about the vow, not because he was the only one that Severus could trust at the time, but merely because he was there when the man made the vow.  
  
Dumbledore grimaced in sympathy for the man he considered a son as he remembered.....  
  
_##########FLASHBACK##########  
  
#September 1, 1976#  
  
Albus Dumbledore hurried to the Hospital Wing with a rather anxious look on his old, wrinkled face.  
  
He burst through the doors with such force that it made the school nurse, Poppy Pomfrey jump. Had it not been for the severe circumstance at the moment, she probably would have started yelling at him, as usual.  
  
But tonight was not usual, one lone bed was filled in the entire Hospital Wing, which was a surprise, since it was the first day back.  
  
In it lay a raven-haired, sixteen year-old boy. He had a rather pale complexion, his long fingers clenching the bed sheets tightly in pain.  
  
"Over here, Albus! He came in for his usual check-up and......oh its worse then when he was marked last year...." Poppy broke off and turned away, tears gathering in her eyes.  
  
Albus immediately moved over to the boy and, not bothering to summon a chair, sat down beside him. He took one of the pale hands in his own, wrinkled one and began to stroke it gently.  
  
The boy had dark rings under his eyes. Bandages were wrapped around his torso and a part of his head. A sling held his left arm, bandages also wrapped around the forearm, as well as the upper arm. He had a large, purpling bruise on his right cheek. Red stains were evident through random parts of each bandage.  
  
If he had been sitting up, then Albus would have seen the bandages that covered the boy's back and the many long, slender red stains that were visible through the bandages.  
  
"Oh, Severus...." The headmaster whispered, his blue eyes glittering with unshed tears. "You don't deserve this.....one day, everything will be different, this I promise you my child...."  
  
The boy stirred slightly and gradually opened his onyx eyes. His black eyes darted around the white room as if he were a caged animal. His gaze landed on the old man that was sitting beside him, holding his hand.  
  
Severus sneered at his headmaster and snatched his hand away as if he had been scalded, "Don't touch me!" he snarled toward the older wizard.  
  
"Severus..." the wizard began but the younger one cut him off.  
  
"Don't talk to me! Don't even look at me! I hate you! Go away!" Severus screamed.  
  
"Severus, you are getting hysterical....calm down my child or you will start to hyperventilate like you did last year...." Albus said gently, seemingly unaffected by Severus' rude outburst.  
  
"Don't call me, 'my child'! You lost that right!" the boy snapped furiously, though pain was evident in his eyes. "And didn't you promise me last year that you would never let this happen to me again?"  
  
Albus looked startled, "Severus.....I tried....you know I tried. Minerva, Filius, Poppy, and I...we tried to gain custody of you but it didn't work...I'm so sorry..." A couple of tears escaped the old man's blue eyes.  
  
Severus scowled, though he was noticeably shaking, his dark eyes glittering.  
  
"You promised...." He whispered in a strained voice. "You promised me that you would help me...but you just made it worse! You just made him madder!" He let his dark head drop slightly, a curtain of greasy, black hair falling around his face, "I trusted you......"  
  
"Severus..." Albus looked saddened.  
  
"Just forget it!" the boy snapped before almost instantly calming. "I'll be of age at the end of the school year so it won't really matter..." Severus said in a quiet voice. "I guess I was just hoping that I could have one summer where I wasn't...." he trailed off and turned away.  
  
The boy jumped violently when the headmaster put both of his wizened hands on Severus' face, gently tipping the boy's face so that they were looking in one another's eyes.  
  
"You do not deserve this, Severus...." Albus whispered softly. "Do you hear me? You do not deserve this no matter what you do or no matter what you have done....."  
  
"I don't believe you...." Severus said immediately. "I have killed, Professor..." the boy whispered, tears glittering in his eyes. "He made me kill....I don't deserve your kindness..."  
  
"Don't say that, Severus..." Albus said firmly but gently. "You are a spy....you have been ever since you were marked..... No one deserves this, Severus, no one..."  
  
Severus swallowed and said in a small voice, "Not even You-Know-Who?"  
  
Albus' face saddened as he remembered the abused boy known as Tom Riddle. "No," he told his student firmly. "Not even Voldemort."  
  
Severus flinched at the name and averted his eyes from the headmaster's.  
  
"Severus, I want you to know that no matter what, you will always be loved, you understand? You will always be loved no matter what..." Albus told the trembling boy. "I love you like a son, Severus.....I don't have any sons and even if I did, I would still care for you......"  
  
Albus gently reached to wipe away a tear sliding down the boy's face with his thumb.  
  
"And I will always be there for you, my boy..."  
  
Severus squeezed his eyes tightly shut and Dumbledore wrapped his arms around the boy.  
  
"Why?" Severus whispered, his voice muffled slightly. "Why does he treat me like this?" he asked sadly.  
  
Albus shook his head, "I don't know....I suppose....some people just aren't meant to have children...and your father is definitely one of them..." he let anger seep into his voice.  
  
Severus shivered slightly, sensing the anger radiating off of the headmaster.  
  
"I just don't understand how someone could treat their children like he treats me..." Severus mumbled, drawing back from the hug, his face dry.  
  
He looked up to meet the headmaster's blue eyes and said firmly, "I would never treat my children like that.....I would never hit them or hurt them in any way....." the boy smirked bitterly. "I will be lucky if I even have kids...." He muttered.  
  
Albus sighed, "Don't say that.....I'll bet you anything that there is a young woman who is perfect for you, maybe even in this school, maybe not. You may already know her, and you may not, but everyone has a match, I promise you that."  
  
Severus nodded and said solemnly, "I swear that I will never harm or hurt any offspring of mine in any way....because they don't deserve it..." the boy trailed off and shivered slightly, "...and I already know how it feels, and I would never want my child to go through what I have......I would treat them like children are supposed to be treated. I would love them......and teach them everything that I know so they could become stronger then me one day......"  
  
Albus smiled, "I'm glad to hear that, Severus. You are stronger then your father for sure..."  
  
Severus smiled for the first time since the end of his fifth year.  
  
##########END FLASHBACK##########  
  
_Dumbledore smiled slightly at the memory, it had been one of the first times that Severus had actually opened up to him.  
  
"Professor?" Harry's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Yes, Harry?" he said once he had his thoughts back in order. The boy looked as if he wasn't sure what to say, he hesitated slightly and glanced at Sirius uncertainly.  
  
"Can we...can we tell...." Harry quickly glanced at Sirius, who was looking at them curiously.  
  
Dumbledore smiled kindly, "Of course we can...." He turned toward Sirius and said seriously, "But you must understand, Sirius that no one knew about this except James and Lily...."  
  
Sirius stared at him in confusion, "What do you mean? Did they keep something from us?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded and glanced at Harry, who looked rather grim.  
  
"Whatever it is, Harry, we'll get through it, right?" Sirius asked the boy. Harry swallowed and gave a hesitant nod, hoping that Sirius was right.  
  
"Well..." he began sheepishly. "We sort of found out that-" he was interrupted though as the door suddenly burst open and Remus Lupin came hurrying in.  
  
"Sirius?!" he whispered breathlessly. The man seemed to freeze completely before he charged over to his friend and embraced him tightly.  
  
"Y-You're alive?!" Remus sounded weak. He let go of Sirius and said quietly, "Snape said that you were alive and I thought he was just pulling my leg...."  
  
His smile suddenly turned into a scowl as he punched Sirius straight in the face. Sirius gave a yell as he fell backwards onto the ground, holding a rather bloody nose.  
  
"W-Whad da 'ell was dhat for?!" he yelled, sporting the broken nose.  
  
"That was for putting me and Harry through your supposed death you git!" Remus yelled furiously. "Do you realize how much Harry and I blamed ourselves?! Do you realize how we felt?! When you first died I almost wanted to kill myself!!" he roared and Dumbledore was quickly coaxing him into a chair.  
  
Harry was meanwhile on the floor next to Sirius, helping the man up.  
  
"It was not Sirius' fault, Remus...." Dumbledore informed him. "It appears that he actually died and came back to life...."  
  
Remus stopped struggling and stared at Dumbledore as if he were off his rocker, "People cannot come back from the dead, Albus..." he said quietly.  
  
"Sirius did! It makes sense and I had a vision about it too!" Harry piped up for the first time.  
  
Remus seemed to have just noticed him. He paled instantly and took a step back, "Harry..." he said cautiously, eyeing him with fear as if he were afraid that Harry would suddenly start to yell at him.  
  
Harry swallowed and for an instant, felt another presence inside his mind. He shook his head to clear it and looked at his fellow werewolf, "Hi...Remus..." he said quietly.  
  
The tension seemed to be visible between the two werewolves and the two seemed to have gone in a sort of staring contest.  
  
Finally, Remus broke the silence, "Harry...." He muttered faintly, "I-I'm so sorry....I didn't mean....I-I mean I tried to stop myself.....but I couldn't....I forgot to take the potion.....and I tried to but I-"  
  
"Calm down, Remus..." Harry said. "It's okay."  
  
Remus arched an eyebrow, "How can you forgive me for ruining your life so easily? Forget that, how can you forgive me at all?"  
  
Harry sighed, "It wasn't your fault, Remus, it was mine. I was the one who went down there like an idiot. I had forgotten that you went down to the Shrieking Shack now...."  
  
"What are you two talking about!" Sirius sounded very impatient, it was quite a surprise that he had stayed quiet the whole time. He was now tapping his right foot impatiently, his nose had been magically mended by Dumbledore while the two had been talking.  
  
Harry swallowed and glanced at Remus. He once again felt another presence in his mind, it lasted a second longer before it disappeared.  
  
Harry frowned at Remus, knowing that the other presence was definitely him. After all, the man had turned him into a werewolf, they had to have some kind of bond.  
  
"There was.........an accident...on Saturday night, Sirius...." Harry began cautiously, he glanced over at Remus, who picked up after him.  
  
"Think about it, Padfoot..." the man said. "What was Saturday night?"  
  
Sirius thought for a moment before answering, "Full moon..."  
  
Remus nodded and exchanged glances with Harry.  
  
Sirius sat there, confused for a moment before it seemed to click for the innocent convict. "Y-You mean.....he's a....you...you bit him?!" the question was practically yelled.  
  
"Sirius it wasn't his fault!" Harry immediately jumped to Remus' rescue. "It was mine, I was stupid, I went down to the Shrieking Shack that night..."  
  
Sirius seemed to be having an internal battle.  
  
"There's....something else..." Harry mumbled before the man could respond. Sirius groaned, "Something else?! You mean something worse then this? What could possibly be worse then you being turned into a werewolf!" he demanded, glancing from Remus to Harry and back again.  
  
Remus and Harry both flinched. Sirius blushed and glanced at them apologetically.  
  
"I don't mean it like that.....I just..." Sirius said quietly.  
  
"We know what you mean, Padfoot," Remus said. "Don't worry about me, I'm used to it....its Harry that needs to get used to it..." he glanced sadly at the boy.  
  
Harry shuffled slightly.  
  
"My mom.....sent Professor Dumbledore a delayed letter a little while ago...." He said, feeling uncomfortable.  
  
Sirius blinked in confusion. "Why would Lily send a delayed letter?"  
  
"Did you know that my mum and Snape were friends in Hogwarts?" Harry blurted out.  
  
Sirius was once again staring at him in confusion, "No...." he muttered, "Snive-Snape always hated Lily because she was a muggle-born..." Sirius said Snape's name as if it were a disgusting swear word.  
  
"Well, they were..." Harry didn't really know why he was telling Sirius like this, he was stalling, delaying the truth.  
  
Dumbledore noticed this and cleared his throat slightly.  
  
Harry glanced at Sirius and lowered his head, "In....the letter...my mom...she said that...that....James Potter wasn't my biological father..." he said the last part very quickly and glanced up at Sirius cautiously.  
  
Sirius stared at him, "What do you mean James isn't your biological father? You look just like him.....I've seen your birth certificate, Harry, what are you playing at?" he glanced around uneasily. "Did Remus put you up to this?"  
  
Harry stared at Sirius, suddenly feeling anger rising up in him, "Its true, okay its true! James isn't my biological father! It's not some stupid trick that someone else put me up to! Is it really that hard to believe that I'm not your precious best friend's son?!" Harry exploded, his eyes flashing to amber.  
  
"Harry calm down..." Remus said quietly, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.  
  
Harry felt almost instantly calm as he felt tranquility wash over him.  
  
Sirius was now staring at him as if he had lost his mind, "Harry....there is no way that you could be anyone but James' son....Lily would never cheat on him! They loved each other! They were the perfect match!"  
  
Harry sighed, "My mum didn't cheat on my da-James......" Sirius arched an eyebrow, Harry continued, "....mum never loved James....she only went out with him and married him because she was pregnant and had no husband...."  
  
"You make it sound like he was taking advantage of her, Harry...." Sirius said, his voice not cold but not holding any warmth either. "That can't be true...."  
  
"It is! Why can't you believe me when I tell you that James Potter isn't my father?! Why!" he all but yelled. Remus gave his shoulder a tight squeeze and he calmed himself down.  
  
Dumbledore took that moment to cut in, "If you don't believe him, Sirius, then we have proof...." With that he took out his wand and pointed it at Harry.  
  
"Finite Incantatem Appearance Charm"  
  
Now, if Harry would have known that Dumbledore was going to use that spell, then he probably would have dodged it. But because he had been so shocked that the headmaster was being so blunt the spell hit him before he could jump out of the way, after all, he didn't want to see himself looking like Snape.  
  
Harry felt a tingling sensation on the top of his head, before it slowly made his way down his body until his whole body felt completely numb. Then, it was gone and Harry felt as if someone had taken a rather heavy blanket off from him.  
  
He heard Sirius and Remus gasp sharply and he immediately turned away to cover his face.  
  
"Harry don't...." Dumbledore said, his voice sounding almost cheerful. "We would like to see what your true appearance is wouldn't you?"  
  
Harry groaned and heard a loud 'SLAM', making him jump. His head snapped up to see that only he, Remus, and Dumbledore were now present in the room, Sirius had fled.  
  
"Someone please tell me that he remembered to transform..." he whispered in a tight voice, feeling his heart crumble.  
  
"Its going to be alright, Harry, Sirius will come around, I promise....he's just shocked is all and he needs time to think..." Remus said soothingly, sensing Harry's suffering.  
  
Harry turned to him, "And what about you? Are you going to run away also? Why have you been acting so calm since you found out Snape was my father?" he launched at Remus.  
  
"Whoa, slow down Harry," Remus said, "For one thing I would never run out on you, not when you need me as much as you do right now...I didn't abandon you when I first found out and I swear I will not abandon you now...."  
  
"And how come you've been acting so calm about this whole thing?" Harry asked suspiciously, "You knew didn't you?! You knew all this time and you never told me?!!"  
  
"Calm down, Harry!" Remus sounded slightly distressed, "I did not know about your true parentage and if I would've then I would have told you! It was just as much of a shock to me as it was to you!" he paused before saying knowingly. "Listen, I know you're feeling frustrated and I know you're feeling betrayed, I know how you feel..."  
  
"And how would you know how it feels?" Harry snapped. "You have NO idea what it feels like!"  
  
"Well, I am a werewolf to for one thing and for another thing, I could sense it from you...."  
  
"What do you mean sense? You could never sense these kind of thoughts from me before..." Harry protested.  
  
"Give me a chance to explain, Harry," Remus told him. "When a werewolf turns a person a.......bond, I suppose you could call it, is formed between the two. It's mainly mindset, you know, sensing one another's thoughts...."  
  
"You mean we could talk telepathically!" Harry exclaimed and Remus shrugged.  
  
"Not really, you can just....sense their mood and what they're feeling......and sometimes, when the feeling is really strong, you can kind of sense what the other's mind is mainly thinking about." Remus explained.  
  
Harry smiled slightly, "So it was you that I felt in my mind when you first came in...." Remus nodded, looking relieved that Harry was smiling again, "Yes..."  
  
"Now Harry, would you like to see your reflection before we call Severus down here again?" Dumbledore asked. "And I daresay that Remus will have to fetch Sirius..." a smile appeared on Dumbledore's face, "He could be your.....guard-dog...."  
  
"I didn't know students were allowed to have dogs, Professor..." Harry said.  
  
"Well...technically, it is quite unusual to have a dog but its allowed..."  
  
"But the Hogwarts letter says only a cat, toad, and owl..."  
  
"The Hogwarts letter says the pets that a witch or wizard would usually get.....witches and wizards tend to prefer animals that can help them in some way instead of companionship...." Dumbledore explained and Harry nodded slowly.  
  
With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore summoned a medium-sized mirror and Harry hesitated before looking at the reflection that he had been hiding for sixteen years....  
  
When he first saw his reflection, he thought he had been looking through a window instead of a mirror, another wards he was looking at a complete stranger.  
  
His eyes were still the striking green, was the first thing he noticed, due to his lack of glasses, but thick, dark lashes surrounded them. His eyebrows were thinner and arched above his eyes in a perfect arch, just like Snape's. His features had changed dramatically, gone were the boyish Potter look, what replaced it was high cheekbones, slanted eyes, and paler skin. His face possessed a sharp look to it....the Snape look (eugh!). His nose was, thankfully, the same as was his mouth. His hair, though straight and still jet-black, curled at the ends, had a slightly dark red tint to it, and was devoid of any grease. It seemed lay flat on his head, unlike his previous hairstyle, and it dropped down to the middle of his back, which was longer then Snape's was. His fingers were now long and pale, his legs also long and slender, making him at least six inches taller.  
  
Despite the absolute revulsion Harry felt for looking a lot like Snape, he sort of liked his new look. He felt as if it suited him so much better and he somehow felt and...relieved to be free of the 'Harry Potter' look as well as his huge glasses and untamed hair.  
  
"So what do you think? Suits you more doesn't it?" Dumbledore said knowingly and Harry shrugged, "I......like it....I guess...."  
  
He sighed and pushed a strand of blackish-red hair out of his eyes, it was going to take some time to get used to his long hair.  
  
"Remus, if you would be so kind as to fetch Sirius?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling. Remus nodded and left.  
  
Dumbledore threw some Flu Powder into the fireplace and said, "Severus Snape!"  
  
Snape's head appeared and he glared at Dumbledore, "What is it you want, Albus?" he asked in a bored tone.  
  
"Well you need to get down here and name your son, Severus. Don't you want to see what his true appearance is?" Dumbledore asked jovially.  
  
Snape rolled his eyes and sneered, "I really don't have a choice do I?"  
  
"Afraid not!" Dumbledore said, smiling.  
  
Snape's sneer deepened and he vanished with a 'pop'.  
  
A moment later the door burst open and Remus and Sirius walked in. Sirius looked quite ill, he was rather pale.  
  
"Sirius?" Harry called out almost fearfully.  
  
Remus elbowed Sirius sharply in the ribs and Sirius sighed, stepping up to Harry cautiously. "So...." He began lamely. "Snape really is your father....." he trailed off, looking slightly disgusted at the fact but his face softened as he saw Harry's look of discretion.  
  
"Harry.....I'm not going to hate you just because that git is your father....I- I mean because......Snivellus is your father.....I mean....Snape...is....or.....uh....." Sirius looked slightly lost and Harry couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"It's okay, Sirius.....I was just afraid that you would hate me..."  
  
"Of course I wouldn't!" Sirius sounded mock appalled. "You're my godson boy and you can't get rid of me that easily!" he declared and Harry's face broke out into a grin.  
  
"I guess.....I just got so excited that there was still a part of James in the world that lived and that was here with me.....but I know that even if James isn't your biological father.....he is still your dad and I know that he loved you more then anything....even if he knew that you were Snape's son..." Sirius smiled at Harry.  
  
"And I still want to be your godfather, if you'll let me, that is...and if your............father....lets me....."  
  
Harry smiled and nodded vigorously. "Don't worry about Snape, Sirius, even though he is still my father, we both still hate each other.....and after the war is over, I doubt that he'll claim me for good.......thank Merlin..." Harry mumbled completely unaware of one Severus Snape who had been lurking in the doorway, listening to the whole conversation, watching them with resentment.  
  
() Whew! Okay that's done, I finally got Sirius' reaction (the thing that I had been dreading for like forever).  
  
Yeah, well review!!! 


	8. Chapter eight Snape is shocked!

  
  
Snape stood there in the doorway, listening to Black and Potter's conversation with remorse. He felt his mouth curl into a sneer as Potter thanked Merlin that he wasn't going to end up with him after the war was over. He then decided to make his presence known.  
  
"The feeling's mutual, Potter...." He sneered, taking pleasure in the fact that the boy had jumped when he had spoken.  
  
Snape stopped to take in the true appearance of Potter. He no longer looked like a Potter, but a Snape..... He still had those damn green eyes!  
  
Snape quickly regained his composure as he continued.  
  
"Ah, Severus you're here!" the headmaster said cheerfully, his eyes twinkling, completely oblivious that the tension in the room had just escalated greatly.  
  
Sirius scowled at the Potion's Master and Harry frowned as he looked between the two, who were looking at each other with absolute loathing.  
  
"Have you decided what you are going to name your son?" Dumbledore continued with the same tone, apparently deciding to ignore the animosity between Snape and Sirius. "We have told Sirius about the situation and he has decided that he is going to be Harry's pet dog as well as his guard dog!"  
  
Snape rolled his eyes in annoyance and sneered at Black, "Are you sure he can handle such a feat, Albus? After all, he couldn't even handle sitting around all day wasting space without getting himself killed..."  
  
Black growled, "At least I wouldn't walk out on my son if I ever had one!" he snapped and Snape's face twisted slightly as he opened his mouth to retort.  
  
Harry looked from his godfather to Snape, he could sense the feelings coming from both men and all of them were the same: Hate, loathing. Harry winced, the feelings were so strong.......so.....overwhelming...  
  
A noise of distress rose in the back of his throat and Remus placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?" he seemed to be the only one who had noticed since Sirius and Snape were arguing and Dumbledore was to busy repremending them.  
  
"Yeah..." he said finally, sounding slighlty out of breath. That was a lie and he knew that Remus could sense it, but the man said nothing.  
  
".....is none of your damn business Black!" Snape was shouting.   
  
"Severus!" Dumbledore exclaimed, but he was cut off.  
  
"I make it my business! He's my godson! Therefore I will not let you use him and then cast him aside like discarded garbage after this damn war is over just for your own bloody safety!" Sirius shouted back, his voice threatening.  
  
"Now honestly!" Dumbledore cut in. "You two ought to be ashamed of yourselves! You're acting like children!"  
  
Both men ignored Dumbledore for once in their lives and continued arguing.  
  
Harry groaned and swayed slightly.....he felt dizzy....  
  
"Harry?" came Remus' concerned voice. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It...it feels so....overwhelming...." Harry whispered. "Could they just stop for a second? My head is pounding and they're so loud..."  
  
"You'll get used to it, dont worry...." Remus said soothingly as he put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "It wont seem so overwhelming once you get used to it, I gaurantee it..."  
  
"And what about my hearing being so magnified?" Harry asked almost pitifully. "Will I get used to that too?"  
  
Remus sighed, "That's a little harder to get used to......" Harry groaned.  
  
".....all your fault!! If you hadnt of cancelled his Occlumency lessons..." Sirius was yelling before Snape cut him off.  
  
"Well if he hadnt been so nosey and hadnt looked into my pensive!" the man countered.  
  
"Stop acted like a child!" Sirius yelled back. "Stopping Occlumency lessons when it could mean Harry's life just becuase the boy was curious? All teenagers are curious! Don't you remember how curious you were, Snivellus?"  
  
Snape whipped out his wand and pointed it threateningly at Sirius. "Give me one good reason Black!" he spat. "Give me one good reason why I shouldnt..."  
  
"ENOUGH!!" Dumbledore roared, any trace of calmness completely gone, he now looked downright furious actually.  
  
Harry mentally thanked Dumbledore before he groaned and promptly fell over.  
  
"Harry!!" three voices said in unison as everyone except Snape hurried over to the fallen boy. Remus was of course right beside him so he gently gathered the boy up in his arms.  
  
"Harry?" he asked cautiously as he shook the boy gently. "What happened to him!" Sirius demanded as he fell to his godson's side. Remus glared at him and Snape (who was watching the scene with an odd look on his face).  
  
"You two is what happened to him! You two sitting there arguing over the past! The past! Something that NO ONE can change! He's only just recently became a werewolf and his senses have been inhanced dramatically over a short period of time! His body isn't used to it!" Remus explained in a frustrated voice. "Not to mention the fact that he can now sense things and people's feelings......like I said, his body isn't used to it, therefore the rather strong feelings of loathing that you and Snape over there were expressing was an overload for him...."  
  
"Will he be alright?" Sirius asked, looking both concerned and guilty.   
  
Remus sighed, "He'll be fine....he just needs some rest..."  
  
Sirius nodded, "We'll need to get him to the Hospital Wing......but...he can't be seen..."  
  
"We'll put the Invisibility Charm over him again..." Dumbledore said, taking out his wand. "I daresay Harry will be rather displeased to wake up only to find himself in the Hospital Wing yet again!" the headmaster chuckled slighlty as he cast the charm.  
  
Sirius transformed and they walked out, Snape walked over to the door before Dumbledore's voice stopped him, "Severus, would you stay here for a moment? I would like to discuss some issues with you involving Harry's family...."  
  
(A/N- I should have stopped here...)  
  
Snape sneered, "And why, pray tell, would you want to talk to me about Potter's perfect homelife?" he asked coldly.  
  
Dumbledore sighed, "Harry has been trying to keep me from telling you.....but you are his father and you need to know what your son is going through...." the old man broke off as he stared at Snape, who now looked more confused then irratated. "He will be mad when he finds out what I have told you.....but you have a right to know..."  
  
Snape sighed and sat down in the chair across from the headmaster's desk. "Well get on with it!" he snapped impatiently though he had to admit to himself that he was quite curious about what the normally cheerful headmaster was so grim about, especially when it had to do with Potter.  
  
Dumbledore nodded, and with a wave of his wand, he summoned some tea for the both of them.  
  
"I know that you may think that Harry has been given more attention then a child should be given.....but that is not true.....he has not been treated as a king....." Dumbledore paused to sip his tea, he looked rather forlorn. Snape frowned as he slowly stirred his own cup.  
  
"Let me tell you a little bit about his life, Severus..." the headmaster continued. "When he was first discovered on the Dursley's doorstep fifteen years ago as a baby, he was immediatly shoved into a rather small cupboard that was under the stairs....he was then ignored by his Aunt and Uncle when he would cry out for them when he was hungry........he was given about half a bottle about once every three days if he was lucky....barely enough to keep a one year old alive..."  
  
Dumbledore looked at Snape, the man had a slight frown on his face. The older wizard sighed and continued, "Now you know why he is so small for his age.....he has suffered from severe malnutrion ever since he was a baby. Harry grew up being treated worse then the Malfoy's treat their house elves. He was given his cousin's old clothes and only was fed table scraps.....if there were any..."  
  
Albus sipped his tea again, feeling slighlty soothed as the warm liquid poured into his mouth. "He was beaten if he did anything wrong and he was insulted if he did anything right. I'm surprised the boy even knows what love is considering how much his aunt brushed him off and how much his uncle hit him for things he didnt do or didnt understand exactly HOW he did it....anotherwards, accidental magic..."  
  
"He was pretty much treated like that until he attended Hogwarts.....did you know that he didnt even know he was a wizard until he was eleven? That his aunt and uncle denied him his letter? Not only that but one of the worst things is that the poor boy didnt even know what his name was until he was five, when he first attended Muggle School. He thought his name was 'boy' and 'freak'......." Dumbledore trailed off, taking out a hankerchef to blow his nose before continuing.  
  
"Even when he went to school at age five, he never had any friends.....his cousin chased off everyone and his aunt and uncle convinced the whole town that he had a mental problem...." Albus paused once again as he dabbed his eyes. "After he discovered he was a wizard, his relatives backed off a little, until this past summer......they found out that Sirius had died.... He was beaten more brutally and was lucky if he had food, which usually consisted of stale bread or old cheese, once a week if he finished all of his chores..." Dumbledore finished quietly.  
  
"You see, Severus, you and Harry are more alike then you think......" he paused, "I dont even know the full extent of what his uncle did to him.....he doesnt like to talk about it that much....."  
  
Snape was holding his still full teacup.  
  
"Severus.....was there any indication that Harry was being abused during your Occlumency lessons?"  
  
Dumbledore asked softly.  
  
Snape blinked and cleared his throat, "There was.......certain indication that Potter's relatives had been unkind to him but not......abuse..." his voice was toneless as he tried to comprehend the fact that his son was being abused and he hadnt even recognized the symptems. "I just assumed that it was a nightmare that he had had...." he thought about the memory of the dog chasing Potter up a tree while his relatives laughed from the doorway. "...or that he was just making it out to seem like he never got anything he wanted from his relatives..." he thought of the memory of Potter's cousin riding a muggle contraption called a 'bike' and Potter watching him with jealousy.  
  
Dumbledore stayed silent as he watched his Potion's Master digest the information he had just told him.  
  
Finally, Snape shook his head slowly, none of this was adding up.....  
  
"This cant be true, Albus..." he said quietly and the old man frowned in slight dissapointment as Dumbledore said, "And why not, Severus?"  
  
"It...it doesnt add up! He has acted spoiled ever since he first set foot in this castle! Always acting as if he were above the rules! There is no way that an abused child could act that way!" he snapped.  
  
Dumbledore sighed, "Severus....you can be so shallow-minded sometimes..." he looked up at the scowling man, "if you do not believe me then follow me and see for yourself.... The glamours that Harry cast on himself were probably broken when I took off his appearance charm...."  
  
He signed for Snape to follow him to the Hospital Wing.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
"Oh my!" Poppy gasped as she inspected Harry's true injuries. "He was hiding them with glamour!" she whispered to Remus, who nodded his eyes glued on a particular nasty bruise on Harry's right leg.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Sirius, who was in a chair as Padfoot, had his teeth bared slightly as the dog eyed a bruise on Harry's cheek.  
  
The Hospital Wing was empty once again, Poppy had finished up with the boys that had arrived about an hour ago and no one had come since.  
  
Footsteps were heard and Poppy's eyes widened as she quickly pulled the curtain around Harry's bed and turned just as Dumbledore and Snape strode in, Dumbledore looking glumy and Snape looking rather sour.  
  
"We would like to see Harry..." Dumbledore told Poppy bluntly. "Severus has yet to be convinced about Harry's true homelife...."  
  
Poppy stared at Dumbledore, looking as if she were going to protest but he gave her a stern nod and she did as she was told and pulled aside the curtains.  
  
Snape's bored expression morphed into one of utter disbelief and slight horror as he saw the full extent of his son's injuries.  
  
To say that Harry was littered with bruises, welts, and cuts was putting it quite simply. He was covered with them along with some other suspicious looking scars. He was skinnier then normal, his ribs jutting out in abnormal ways, making it clear that his ribs were broken. His face had a large bruise that stood out against his pale skin vividly. His right wrist was bent in a very odd position also.  
  
Snape put a hand to his mouth as he felt bile rise up in his throat. He turned away as he tried unsuccessfully to ward off unpleasent memories.  
  
"Proof enough, Snape?" Remus snarled coldly, glaring at the man with hatred.  
  
Snape said nothing as he turned back around and glanced uneasily from Harry to Dumbledore to Remus and then back to Harry, who was still unconcious.  
  
"I....I....he..." he tried to unsuccessfully form words as he stared from Harry's broken body to Remus' accusing eyes and back to the unconcious, abused body of his son.  
  
'Oh Merlin....' he thought to himself as he stared at the bruise on Harry's leg. 'Oh Merlin....No! This....this can't be....no!' He felt a burning sensation in his eyes as he stared at the pale boy that resembled him so much, weazing shallowly on the bed, bruises, welts, and cuts marring into his unusually pale skin.  
  
He couldnt take it anymore. He couldnt stand here and stare at his son's body, littered with signs of abuse....he had to get out of here...  
  
"Severus..." Dumbledore began but the man ignored him as he turned around and fled from the Hospital Wing.  
  
It was a rather uncharcteristic sight to see the Potion's Master without his robes billowing behind him dramatically. OKAY! Hello once again everyone! Thanks to all my reviewers once again! 


	9. Chapter nine Accidental Magic

Hey! Sorry for the short delay, I am having a case of writer's block (horrible thing isn't it?). I hope you like this chapter……..I like it but I'm not sure of what kind of feedback I'll get for it.  
  
Well on with the chapter and please read the A/N at the end of the chapter.  
  
Chapter nine- Accidental Magic  
  
"That did not go well....." Albus said quietly as he stared at the still opened door of the Hospital Wing.  
  
"Well I should say so!" Remus exclaimed and stood up. "Why didn't you tell Sirius or I about Harry's abuse if you knew of it so much!" he snapped. "I know you what you told Severus! You told him all about what Harry's family did to him! And how, exactly did you know all of it!"   
  
Dumbledore sighed, "I did not know anything about Harry's abuse until you told me at the Welcoming Feast........ I needed to know about some of his injuries, so I used a useful magic known as Occlumency to find out..."  
  
"But, why!!!" Remus all but yelled. "Why did you invade Harry's privacy like that?! How could you betray his trust!"  
  
"I did not betray his trust..." Dumbledore said calmly. "It was mandatory that I knew some of the abuse he has suffered in order to do a trial..... Trust me, Remus, I do not know of the full extent of Harry's injuries.....I have suspicions but I was not as selfish as to try to uncover his most hidden memories of his abuse..."  
  
"So, you showed some ministry idiot some of his memories?! Do you want it to be all over the Daily Prophet!! What's wrong with you!" Remus roared furiously. '  
  
"No, I did not show anyone Harry's memories. I was merely questioned under veritaserum and I needed to actually see the abuse in order to report it...." Dumbledore said though it was obvious that he was looking quite guilty. "I did not mean for it to go like this..... I needed to do something and I will NOT see Harry go back to those..........people!" Dumbledore spat the last word like a swear word and Remus had to gawk at the absolute fury in the old man's voice.  
  
"He is going to be furious at you when he finds out...." Remus's voice was quiet now, Harry was starting to stir. The boy slowly sat up and yawned.  
  
"Finds out what?" Harry asked as he looked at them through sleepy eyes. "What would I be furious about?"   
  
Remus glared at Dumbledore for a moment.   
  
Dumbledore sighed and sat down beside Harry, taking the boy's hand. "Harry, I want you to know that I did what I did for your own good..."  
  
Harry blinked in confusion and turned to Remus, "What is he talking about?"  
  
The werewolf sighed and said quietly, "Albus used Occlumency to see the abuse from your family himself so he could report it..."  
  
Harry's eyes widened, "What?!" he exclaimed, glancing at Dumbledore, who had the grace to look quite ashamed.   
  
"He informed Severus about it just a couple minutes ago..."  
  
"You WHAT!!!" Harry yelled at the old man. "You told....you told HIM!! Why!!! I trusted you!!!! I trusted you, how could you do this to me!!!"   
  
"Harry, he is your father, he has a right to know....."  
  
"Like hell he does! He has a right to know if I want him to know!!! It was MY fucking choice to tell him, not yours!" Harry screamed. "You always take control of my life!! I thought you would have stopped after what happened last year!!"  
  
"Harry..."  
  
"Don't talk to me!!! Don't even look at me! I hate you!!! I HATE YOU!!!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs and the lights began to flicker.   
  
"Harry you need to calm down!" Dumbledore told him sternly. Harry sent him a glare worthy of the Snape name and the bottle that held a healing potion exploded, shards of glass flying every which way.  
  
"Harry!" it was Remus who spoke this time, "Calm down! You need to calm down and take a couple of deep breaths....." He put a hand on Harry's shoulder.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Harry yelled, his emerald eyes were now amber as the room began to quiver violently. Madame Pomfrey shrieked and covered her head as several potions began to explode from one of the shelves.   
  
"Harry!" Dumbledore yelled, "Calm down! You'll destroy the school!"  
  
Harry either hadn't heard him or was ignoring him as he didn't make any attempt to keep his sensitive temper under control.  
  
He had tried so hard to prevent anyone from knowing about his beatings, especially from Snape but the old man just had to go and tell the bastard, everything he had worked for had been for nothing, Snape knew anyway......   
  
He had put glamour on himself a long time ago and had been trying to suppress a wince of pain whenever someone would touch him so they wouldn't suspect. When Remus, Hermione, and Ron had found out, he had completely freaked out, especially when Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore were added to the list of people that knew about the secret he had been trying so hard to protect.  
  
But he had felt the least bit of comfort when he had thought that they wouldn't tell anyone, and would keep it a secret. But of course nothing ever goes right for him, the headmaster had alerted the authorities and he was now sentenced to a trial.  
  
Of course, even then he had still felt the least bit of comfort that perhaps his secret would still remain safe, since it was to be a private trial. Harry knew that when Dumbledore had broken the glamour charms that his mother had put on him, that the charms that Harry had put on himself to hide the abuse would be broken too.  
  
Which was why he had been so glad to have on long sleeves and pants. He had tried desperately to hide the bruise on his cheek by curtaining his face with his hair, much like Snape did. Luckily, no one had noticed and once again, Harry felt as if his secret was safe.  
  
But now Snape knew, along with Sirius. This wouldn't have bothered Harry as much as it did if it hadn't been for the fact that Dumbledore had told Snape some details of his abuse.....  
  
He was snapped out of his mental ranting by Remus, who yelled, "We need to stun him! It's the only way, he's out of control!"  
  
Harry blinked and took in his surroundings, feeling slightly confused about all the broken glass that littered the floor. He glanced around to see Albus Dumbledore, laying stunned on the floor.   
  
'Did I do that?' he asked himself. He could feel power surging through him. Power that he had never felt before in his whole life. It felt so........warm and strong as if it were a part of him. He was about to try and get it under control when he heard two voices (a male and a female) shout faintly, "Stupefy!" before everything went black.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Hermione glanced anxiously at Ron, who was sitting next to her, looking into the fire with a pensive look on his face..........a rather rare sight....  
  
"I just don't know where he could be, Hermione......." the boy whispered quietly. "I haven't seen him since he went to meet Dumbledore on Saturday...."  
  
The girl sniffed and stared into the flames almost hypnotically, she suddenly stood up.  
  
"I am going to find him!" she declared and marched toward the portrait.   
  
"Wait a minute, Hermione, you don't even know where to start!" Ron began but Hermione cut him off. "What is the one place that he is always in if we can never find him?"  
  
The redhead blinked awkwardly, "Either Dumbledore's office or the Hospital Wing....Hey wait for me!"  
  
He jumped up after the bushy headed girl and hurried after her.   
  
"Let's check in the Hospital Wing first...it's closer..." Hermione said as they hurried up the many flights of stairs.  
  
The two teenagers started slightly when a sharp quiver rumbled through the entire castle, shaking the walls.  
  
Hermione grabbed onto the railing and held on as the stairs shook slightly along with the rest of the castle. "What was that?" she whispered to Ron, who was also gripping the railing tightly.   
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Severus sat slumped on a cushioned chair, his head in his hands as he thought about Potter........his son.......  
  
He shivered at the thought.  
  
He had always hated the boy and yet he felt a slight protectiveness come over him whenever he thought about someone hurting him. He always had felt protective over his most hated student for some odd reason.  
  
Well maybe it was because the boy was Lily's son and he had loved Lily more then anything in the world when she had been alive.  
  
He had always hated seeing the boy, not only because he looked so much like James Potter but also because of those haunting, green eyes.....Lily's eyes.....the one's that had stared up at him blankly, with no life at all when he had seen her at her and Potter's funeral.  
  
When he had first laid eyes on the boy he had thought nothing of him, except hatred that is. But when he had first actually looked at the boy during the first potion lesson, he had been reduced to a blank upon seeing those same green eyes filled with life once again.  
  
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if those green eyes hadn't been the same ones that Severus had looked into with love so much when he had been in school, the same one's that was always filled with happiness and love whenever they were directed at him.   
  
The same one's that he would simply sit there and get lost in them for what seemed like hours.  
  
But those days were gone....it was different, so much different. The eyes, though the same color as his late beloved's eyes, were so much different. For one thing, they reflected hatred and disgust whenever directed at him and Severus had been reduced to a blank once again when he had first seen those green eyes filled with absolute loathing at him. He had felt panic and slight fear when he had seen the loathing within those eyes. And what had he done? He had reacted negatively, almost defensively and treated Potter as if he were a piece of rat's dung....   
  
But those eyes didn't belong to her....didn't belong Lily Evans.....who he had loved. Lily Evans.....who had loved him. Lily Evans....who had been the most compassionate and kindest person in the world. Lily Evans......who had always been there for him.....  
  
No, those eyes belonged to Harry Potter.......who he hated. Harry Potter.....who hated him. Harry Potter......who was a spoiled, pampered brat from day one. Harry Potter........who was.....abused..... Harry Potter.......who he had misjudged severely. Harry Potter.......who was his son....  
  
His son.  
  
Not James Potter's son.  
  
His son.......his and Lily's son....  
  
Severus thought about what he had just witnessed a couple moments ago. Harry Potter...laying in the Hospital Wing......weazing and trembling in pain......beaten.....abused........broken........  
  
Potter had been abused all this time, and Severus had never even recognized the symptoms....  
  
'I'm a bloody fool.......' he thought to himself. 'I should have recognized them instantly.....'  
  
He thought back on the last five years the boy had been at Hogwarts. He was always quiet, he hated attention, and he really wasn't one for expressing his emotions....  
  
Why didn't Severus recognize that the boy was being abused? Why! It was his job, damn it!  
  
No.  
  
He had been to busy insulting and humiliating the Boy-Who-Lived, James Potter's son, the Gryffindor Golden Boy, the star seeker, Albus's favorite student.....  
  
Severus scowled irritably as he poured himself a drink and downed the alcohol in one gulp before pouring another.   
  
Why hadn't he ever referred to the boy as 'Harry'? Now that he actually thought about it, he always thought of the boy as 'Potter' or 'James Potter's son' or 'Boy-Who-Lived', the Golden Boy, Albus Dumbledore's favorite student!  
  
Not once in the whole time Severus had known the boy had he ever thought of him as 'Harry'........  
  
Severus made to down the second glass when the castle suddenly shook with such force that he dropped the glass, which shattered on the floor.  
  
"What the...." he began before realization dawned on him.   
  
'Potter....!' he thought to himself before hurrying out of the dungeons and back up to the Hospital Wing.  
  
'Why am I doing this again?' he asked himself as he headed up the many flights of stairs. 'Because he's your son and he needs you...' a small voice inside his head told him. Severus assumed it to be the 'angel version of himself'. Either that or it was his conscience.   
  
Severus mentally sneered at whatever the hell it was before assuring himself that he was only going up to the Hospital Wing to see if Albus needed his help.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Hermione, Ron, and Snape tried to open the door to the Hospital Wing at the precise same time.   
  
Snape sneered, "Five points from Gryffindor for being rude to a professor, Weasley!" he snapped to Ron, who flushed angrily.   
  
"We just wanted to see Harry, Professor..." Hermione began but was cut of by Snape.  
  
"Five points from Gryffindor for interrupting a professor, Granger now move!" Snape growled as he opened the door to the Hosptial Wing.  
  
"That greasy git!" Ron hissed to Hermione as Snape marched in. "We just wanted to see Harry!"  
  
"And that'll be twenty for insulting a professor, Weasley..." they heard Snape call from the other room.  
  
Ron growled and hurried in along with Hermione.   
  
They entered to see Professor Dumbledore and Snape already having a rather heated discussion in the corner of the room. Remus was in a chair by an occupied bed, glaring at the two with utmost fury.  
  
Hermione noticed a great black dog in a chair by Remus's. She gasped and elbowed Ron before gesturing wildly at the dog.  
  
"Snuffles?" Hermione whispered questioningly as she stared at the dog.  
  
Remus nodded to her and said quietly, "Correct again, Miss Granger...."   
  
Ron and Hermione gasped.   
  
"But I thought you were-" Ron began but was cut off as Hermione elbowed him sharply in the ribs.  
  
"We were just wondering where Harry was, sir…" Hermione said quietly to Remus.   
  
The werewolf looked immediately saddened. "I'm afraid there was an accident last night…." He muttered quietly.  
  
Hermione and Ron exchanged concerned looks before Hermione spoke up, "Is he okay?"  
  
"What happened?" Ron asked.  
  
"Harry wondered off into the Forbidden Forest on Saturday night……Professor Snape had apparently said something that upset him and he had gone out to clear his mind and think…." Remus began mournfully.   
  
Hermione gasped again, "But….Saturday was the full moon…..did he…I mean…did you…"  
  
Remus mentally praised Hermione for her brilliance but outwardly, he shook his head, "No, I was in the Shrieking Shack…but he went out into the Forbidden Forest…"  
  
Remus broke off and looked at his hands for good effect.   
  
"What happened?" Hermione whispered fearfully. Ron gulped.  
  
Remus sniffed and said quietly, "We found his body yesterday…..he was attacked by something…a beast of some sort….Dumbledore thinks it was a panther…"   
  
"W-What do you mean you found his body?!" Hermione exclaimed and Remus put a hand on her shoulder.   
  
"Calm down, Hermione……he is in a better place…" Remus whispered brokenly.   
  
"W-What!!!!" Hermione screeched and Ron paled. "What do you mean! What are you talking about! He can't be dead, he just CAN'T!!!" Hermione screamed as she sank to the ground, sobbing.   
  
Ron was as white as a sheet as he also sank to the floor, putting his arms around Hermione almost absently. "No…." he whispered. "Not Harry……he..he always survives…..he survives everything!!! He's survived You-Know-Who and he dies because a bloody panther attacked him?!" Ron yelled. "Well I won't believe it!! There's no way that Harry could die! No way! I don't believe you!" the furious redhead roared before he got up and flew out of the Hospital Wing.  
  
Hermione was left trembling on the ground alone. She looked up at Remus, who was looking very pale. "It…it's not true is it??" she whispered, tears coursing down her cheeks.  
  
"I'm afraid so, Miss Granger…" Remus said quietly. Hermione gasped audibly before looking at the occupied bed suspiciously.   
  
"Then who is that, professor?" she asked quietly as she stared at the only visible part of the person in the bed, which was his raven black hair.   
  
"He is a transfer student from a school in China…" Remus told her. "His school closed down and the orphanage he was staying at closed down also, so his father thought he could stay here with us until he graduates."  
  
Hermione still looked suspicious. She wiped away her tears stubbornly and stared at the boy in the bed, "If he has a father then why was he in an orphanage?"   
  
Remus shifted, "Because his father just now found out about his existence….he never knew his father until now…"  
  
Hermione narrowed her eyes, all traces of sadness completely gone as she looked at the boy in the bed with renewed hope.   
  
"And who might his father be, exactly?" she asked.  
  
"Take a look for yourself and see if you can recognize him, Hermione…" Remus sounded almost cheerful now as he took the blankets off the sleeping boy.  
  
Hermione gasped as she immediately recognized the sharp features and slanted eyes. The boy looked almost exactly like her Potion's Professor. But wait a minute…. Hermione's brain seemed to kick into gear as she stared at the boy. Snape doesn't have a son! Why is Remus so cheerful?  
  
Remus watched as the girl thought and could almost hear the gears turning in her head.  
  
Hermione's head shot up. Snape does have a son!! Harry! Harry is Snape's son, he told her and Ron that a couple days ago.  
  
So that means…..  
  
"Is this Harry?!" she whispered, her voice laced with barely contained excitement.   
  
Remus smiled, "Fifteen points to Gryffindor, Miss Granger…..and to answer your quiestion…..well…" he paused and winked at her. "Let's just say his name is Darian now…. Darian Snape!"  
  
Hermione glowed as she said excitedly, "Also known as Harry Potter, huh?" She gave a squeal and threw her arms around the sleeping boy.  
  
"Calm down, Miss Granger, you'll wake him…" Remus said and the girl recoiled, blushing.   
  
"So…..why did you tell Ron and I that Harry was dead? Why!" she said, her tone was slightly angry.  
  
Remus sighed, "Hermione, the charm that was cast on Harry to hide his appearance is wearing off…..so-"  
  
"So what you just told me is a cover up story for him! And Darian Snape is his new name!" Hermione finished in an awed voice.  
  
"Yes….but you cannot tell anyone about Darian's true identity Hermione…" Remus said urgently. "He and Severus could be in grave danger if anyone were to know that Harry Potter is the son of a supposed Death Eater…"   
  
Hermione nodded, "I won't but why didn't you just tell Ron and I? Harry already told us who his true father is so you know that we'd have figured it out…"   
  
"Because when Dumbledore announces Harry's death tomorrow, your reactions need to be realistic..." Remus told her. "We were going to tell you after Harry's death was announced so it would seem more realistic…."   
  
"So you are going to tell everyone that Harry was killed by a panther on Saturday?" Hermione's eyes widened. "But that would cause a worldwide panic!"   
  
Remus nodded, looking slightly troubled.  
  
"But won't it seem suspicious if Darian Snape were to show up as soon as Harry Potter dies? And what about his body at his funeral? What are you going to do about that?" Hermione asked all in one breath.  
  
"We are going to be announcing Darian Snape tonight after dinner and he is going to be sorted in front of everyone…" Remus paused. "And about Harry's body….what we are going to do is we are going to feed one of Hagrid's flobberworms some Polyjuice Potion with one of Harry's hairs in it so it will look like Harry and it will have his DNA…"  
  
"But what about when the potion wears off?" Hermione asked, looking very interested in the plan.  
  
"Did Harry ever tell you that when he dies he wants his body to be cremated?" Remus asked her. Hermione shrugged, "He may have mentioned it once or twice…."   
  
"Yes, well he wants to be cremated and then he wants his ashes to be released into the ocean…" Remus trailed off.  
  
"So that is what you are going to do?" Hermione asked. "You are going to cremate his supposed body and throw the ashes into the ocean?"   
  
Remus nodded, "That way, no one will ever find them and if anyone does manager to find them, then it will have his DNA in the ashes due to the Polyjuice Potion…"  
  
Hermione's eyes widened again, "Brilliant…." She breathed. "How does Dumbledore come up with these things?!" she sounded totally awed.  
  
A chuckle was heard from the other end of the room and Hermione turned to see Dumbledore chuckled at her most recent question.  
  
"Oh, Miss Granger, I am nothing special!" Dumbledore told her, his blue eyes twinkling.   
  
"What is wrong with Harry, sir? Why is he unconcious?" Hermione asked as she looked at the unfamiliar face in concern.  
  
"He simply had a rather strong bout of accidental magic, Miss Granger, nothing to worry about…" Dumbledore assured her.  
  
Remus nodded, "Yes and he accidentally hit the headmaster with the 'Stupefy' spell……."  
  
He grimaced, "Albus just woke up before you, Ron, and Severus came in…"  
  
Hermione's hands flew up to her mouth, "Are you okay, sir?" she asked Dumbledore, who smiled.  
  
"Quite alright, Miss Granger, even the most powerful of wizards can loose control of their magic at times…" Dumbledore said pleasantly.  
  
"As much as I hate to break this conversation up but shouldn't we wake Potter up if he is to be announced at dinner?" Snape asked quietly, his black eyes glued to Harry's pale form.  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "And you need to get back to the common room, Miss Granger, I daresay Mr. Weasley would also like to know about Harry's new identity….but you mustn't forget, you and Mr. Weasley need to act as though Harry is really dead when it is announced tomorrow…"   
  
Hermione nodded before glancing at Harry's sleeping form. "Please tell him Ron and I stopped by…."   
  
"Will do, Hermione…" Remus told her and the girl nodded.  
  
Hermione walked over to the door before stopping and glancing at her teachers curiously.  
  
"I thought we told you to leave, Miss Granger…" Snape said curtly.  
  
Hermione nodded before saying quietly, "I was just wondering if you could tell me why Harry did accidental magic…..usually it only happens when he's really mad about something…"  
  
"Now that is none of your business Miss Granger so leave before I take away half of Gryffindor's House Points!" Snape snapped to her but she didn't move. She was instead looking at Dumbledore and Remus.   
  
"It is not our story to tell Miss Granger…." Dumbledore said, looking saddened. Remus glared at him.  
  
Hermione hesitated before nodding and hurrying out of the Hospital Wing to tell Ron the news about their best friend…..  
  
() Okay, hope you liked it…..  
  
How would you guys think of HG/HP? My other story is HP/GW and RW/HG so I'd like to make this one a HG/HP. It will not be a big thing and Ron will be paired up with someone to if you'd like.  
  
I really hope no one would be to awfully disappointed because like I said, it will not be a real big, huge thing.  
  
If anyone has an idea of who Ron should be with then please tell……..  
  
Well review!  
  
Bye! 


	10. Chapter ten Introducing Darian

Hello! I apologize for the delay but I went to Virginia (as I said in my bio) for a couple days.

Thanks to all my reviewers!

Padawan Jan-AQ- Thanks! And thanks for reviewing for every chapter as well. :)

anon2- Yeah I know. And yes, it is going to be HP/HG. Thanks!

opal- I upped the rating just in case someone reported me (and someone told me I should). Also the transformation scenes might seem a bit gory but I'm not sure. No, this is not going to be slash and it's not going to be a rape story either. I know it kind of sounds like it is going to be a rape story so I went back and deleted any evidence of rape. And yes your name won most definitley! Phew! I've got Darian for this story and Damien for my other one, I'm just afraid I'm going to end up mixing them up.

Abbika-Rose-Writers- Thanks! School is starting again tomarrow so I might not update as much but I'll try.

Fangfoot- Thanks!

FroBoy- Thanks!

Anarane Anwamane- Yep, though I don't think he means to be all controlling and stuff (in the books I mean). Thanks for the review!

Felinity- Well that's good 'cause it is going to be HP/HG! Thanks!

mitchell- Thanks! And Ron is not going to be single. I have one person in mind for him though.

SeXy StAr GoDdEsS- Thanks! Glad you like it.

HecateDeMort- Sorry but it's not going to be slash. It will be HP/HG and Ron will go with someone else.... Thanks for the review!

Hellsing-agent-Alucard- lol, Thanks!

Lady Miko of the Woods- It is going to be HP/HG, sorry but majority rules. But like you said in your review, my other story is HP/GW and HG/RW. Thanks for the review!

LoveOfTheMoon- Thanks!

F.H. Groves- Thanks and it was opal who picked the name.

DARKMARK33LV- Thanks! I'm trying not to make Sev and Harry warm so fast but they will eventually!

texasjeanette- Thanks! Glad you think my characters are not OOC.

LL- Yep! It's HP/HG. Thanks!

Ariana Dumbledore- Thanks! I know I overdue the exclamation marks, I really stink at grammer. But I have a beta reader now so it won't be as bad.

BlindJedi- lol. Thanks!

l- Yeah it's usually RW/HG. Thanks!

lillinfields- Thanks!

Catti- Thanks! And I agree totally on the HG/HP thing.

Countess D Lupin- Well I have read many stories where Lupin ends up having children and they aren't werewolves so.......I just went along with it. I think that the only way for a child of Lupin to be a werewolf is if the child's mother was a werewolf to but I'm not sure. Thanks!

leggylover03- Thanks!

Eve27- Sorry, but it's going to be HP/HG but Ron's not going to be single, if that helps. Thanks!

Kamorie- Thanks!

pj- Yes, I know it sounds as if there is going to be rape in the story but it's not true. I went back and reread the last chapter and I realized that it did sound as if I were going to include rape. I did not mean to do that and I went back to delete any evidence that this was going to be a rape story. So no, it's not a rape story.

Phew! Thanks once again to everyone! Also, this story is going to be a HP/HG story and if anyone has any ideas for Ron then please tell. School is staring up again, people! Ugh!

Also thanks to my beta reader, Badbugz!!

Chapter Ten- Introducing Darian  
  
"We have a new student joining us this evening!" Dumbledore announced to everyone at dinner. All the students fell silent immediately. "He has come from Chan Yu Academy all the way from China, which has recently closed down over the summer. His father has decided for him to stay here with us until he graduates!"  
  
Whispers broke out in the Hall as every student tried to see the tall boy standing beside Dumbledore. "Please give a warm welcome to Darian Snape!"  
  
Professor McGonagall walked out from behind the table, picking up the sorting hat from the stool that had appeared where it always did on the first of September.  
  
Darian swallowed and slowly walked over to the stool. He briefly surveyed the students before sitting down. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he saw Draco Malfoy grin broadly at him. His view was cut off as McGonagall dropped the hat on his head and Darian suddenly had a déjà vu of his first year as he saw the many students trying to peer at him.  
  
_'Well well well, Mr. Snape..' _said a voice inside Darian's head. _'So you have found out your true identity, have you? Well, it's about time I'd say! Hmmm now let's see... So you are to be sorted again is that correct?' _Darian gripped the edges of the stool, 'Yes that's right...' he said mentally to the hat. _'Let's see now... As I said before in your first year, Gryffindor is a good house for you but not necessarily the best...Slytherin would have been your best house when you were eleven but that was five years ago and you certainly have changed...What's this about a werewolf biting you? Oh, you are in for a rough year, Mr. Snape, a rough one indeed. Why, I remember when Remus Lupin placed me upon his head and......'_ Darian cleared his throat, 'Er...I need to be sorted...' he mumbled to the hat mentally. _'Oh all right!' _The hat squawked irritably, _'I mean I'm only a hat! I never get to talk to anyone! Fine! Neither Slytherin nor Gryffindor. What about Hufflepuff? No, you may be very loyal but Hufflepuffs would too respectful for you as you still seem to have a certain disregard for the rules! Yes, Ravenclaw would suit you very nicely. You certainly have changed and now have a thirst for knowledge, a thirst for knowing things...yes, I suppose that it would be very good for you, so better be _RAVENCLAW!'  
  
There was the usual polite applause, though it sounded slightly scattered, followed by confused whispers. Darian sighed and took off the hat, nodding respectfully to McGonagall before heading over to the Ravenclaw table. Glancing over at the Slytherin table, he saw that Malfoy was looking flabbergasted.  
  
Ravenclaw was the last house he expected to get sorted into. Maybe Gryffindor or Slytherin or even Hufflepuff but certainly not Ravenclaw. He wasn't smart enough for it, was he?  
  
Darian frowned as he thought of how he had always been interested in reading his new school books before going to school. Why, he had even read a couple of them around ten times out of sheer boredom at the Dursleys' but he'd never thought he could be smart enough to be put in Ravenclaw. Oh well, at least it was better then Slytherin.....  
  
Darian glanced around the Ravenclaw table and noticed that barely anyone that was sitting close to him was eating. He nodded to Padma, who was sitting across from him. "Hello," he greeted politely.  
  
Padma looked thoroughly disgusted that he dare have the audacity to speak to her. She scowled at him and stood up, walking away to sit in a seat much farther away from him.  
  
Darian frowned and sighed as he tucked a strand of raven hair behind his ear. What had he gotten himself into? Now he was going to be hated by everyone except Ron and Hermione, but they couldn't show that they liked him or else it would be too suspicious.

"Don't mind her, she's rather shallow minded, you see," came a voice from Darian's left.  
  
Darian turned to see a girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her hair was tied back into a tight braid. Darian felt relief that at least one person was talking to him. "Hello, Darian Snape, but of course you already know that," he shook her hand.  
  
She smiled. "Yeah well, I'm afraid you may have a rather tough time making friends...not to insult you or anything. It's just that your father isn't that popular..." she said unflinchingly, as if she weren't afraid that Darian would get mad at her for insulting his father.  
  
When it was obvious that he wasn't going to say anything else, she swept her braid over her left shoulder. "Lisa Turpin. What year are you in? Sixth? I thought so. I'm in sixth year too. What classes are you taking?" she said quickly.  
  
"Er....Potions-"  
  
"Of course..." Lisa interupted with a slight smile.  
  
Darian nodded, "Yes, unfortunately, well I'm taking Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and possibly Care of Magical Creatures."  
  
"Well you have yourself a busy schedule don't you? I'm taking the same except for ComC and Herbology," she told him. "Never did like plants and animals that much...especially after I saw a Thestral try to eat a man in a hotdog costume and the Devil's Snare thing almost strangle this poor old guy when he tried to prune it..." she frowned slightly, "Wasn't very pleasent."  
  
Darian chuckled, "I wouldn't think so. Are you muggle-born?" he asked slowly.  
  
She arched an eyebrow, "Yeah, got a problem with it?" "Oh no, it's not that!" Darian reassured her quickly so as not offend his new friend. "I just didn't think that wizards would usually see a man in a hotdog costume..." She shrugged, "Well, that's whats strange. I come from America, you see and barely anyone in this school knows what a hotdog or a hamburger is. A bit strange, isn't it?"  
  
Darian grinned, Lisa was beginning to remind him of a mix between Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Wait a minute, how is it that you know about hotdogs and hamburgers?" she asked suspiciously. "I come from China, I've heard about them but I've never tasted one before," he told her.  
  
There was a couple moments of silence and Darian thought of something. "Hey, how is it that you can see Thestrals?"  
  
"My mom," Lisa said shortly.  
  
"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean-"  
  
"It's alright. I mean, she's in a better place and....well...she's not suffering anymore," Lisa said, shrugging slightly.  
  
"Cancer..." Lisa told him as Darian opened his mouth to ask what she meant about her mother not suffering anymore.  
  
"Oh.."  
  
"What about you? Were you raised by your mother?" Lisa asked quietly, "And did she....die?"  
  
Darian frowned and shook his head, "No, she died while giving birth to me. I never met her; I grew up in an orphanage."  
  
Lisa looked horrified, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"  
  
"Oh, it's okay. I never really knew her and well....the past is the past." he said, looking down at his hands.  
  
Lisa nodded though she still looked troubled. After a couple of minutes she said, "If you had a father, then how come you grew up in an orphanage?" she asked.  
  
Darian was luckily saved from answering when his father strode up behind him and told him to come down to the dungeons with him to discuss classes.  
  
"Wait!" Lisa said to him as he started across the hall. "The password for the dorms is 'Bookworm' okay? See you later!" Darian smiled and nodded, "Thanks."  
  
He turned back to Snape, who was waiting impatiently for him. Snape motioned for Darian to follow him, his sneer firmly in place. The walk down to the dungeon was silent as Snape completely ignored Darian and Darian glared at Snape's back.  
  
They walked into Snape's office and the man seated himself at his desk, his hands steepled in front of him. "Well, sit down!" he said impatiently. Darian did so and Snape took out a parchment, "You are currently signed up for Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, and Potions..." Snape sneered at the last subject.  
  
"It amazes me how far your fame can take you," he said bitingly, "I never thought that the Griselda Marchbanks would be fooled into putting you in Potions when it's quite obvious that you are almost as inept as Longbottom..." Snape's mouth curled into a scowl.  
  
"Can't you at least deal with the fact that I may be good in Potions if I didn't have you breathing down my neck every bloody second!" Darian snapped, and immediatley closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. That had not been an intelligent thing to say.  
  
Snape's eyes narrowed, "That will be twenty five points from Ravenclaw, Mr. Snape," he stated quite coldly. He leaned forward, "And if you ever insult my teaching methods again then you will be very, _very _sorry. Is that understood, Mr. Snape?"  
  
Darian gulped audibly, feeling a shiver go up his spine and cowered slightly at Snape's icy glare. Snape arched an eyebrow, "Do you honestly think that I would hit a child, Mr. Snape?" the question was not gentle or comforting, but rather cold and accusing. Darian swallowed and said nothing as he nervously fiddled with the sleeve of his robe.  
  
"Look at me when I am talking to you!" Snape growled and Darian's head immediately snapped up to look at him. The boy's breathing had shallowed slightly as he stared at the rather enraged Potion's Master.  
  
"Answer me!" Snape demanded and Darian visibly flinched, his eyes clamping shut as his breathing quickened.  
  
"You are pathetic, Potter..." he said calmly. Darian looked up. "Completely and utterly pathetic..." Snape said quietly as he shuffled through his papers absently. "Do you want to change your schedule at all, Mr. Snape?" Snape asked in a bored voice.  
  
Darian seemed to have regained his composure as he said quietly, "Just ComC, I wish to drop it."  
  
Snape nodded and crossed out the class as he stood up and handed Darian his schedule before turning around and walking out of the office without another word.  
  
Darian swallowed and stared after the door his father had walked through. _'You are pathetic, _Potter_, completely and utterly pathetic..'_ Darian felt a familiar burning sensation behind his eyes as he stubbornly fought down the rising lump in his throat. "I am pathetic..." he whispered to himself. "Completely and utterly pathetic..." Why had he believed for one second that that wasn't true? For one second when he had been with Ron, Hermione, and Remus, he had thought that he was actually worth something. Now everything he had gained from being with the three who seemed to care for him so much melted away completely at his father's, his own flesh and blood's words. "Uncle Vernon was right," he said out loud to no one in particular. "Aunt Petunia was right, Aunt Marge was right, Snape is right, I am pathetic."  
  
"Excuse me!" demanded a voice from the doorway and Darian jumped, whirling around to see Hermione standing in the doorway looking rather angry. Darian felt a warmth in the pit of his stomach at the sight of her. He sighed, "What did I do now?" he muttered to her, noting her angry expression.  
  
Hermione's face softened as she stepped inside and shut the door. "I'm not mad at you, Darian," she said, turning around to face him. "But did your father really say that you were pathetic?" Darian nodded, his eyes glued to the floor.  
  
"Well he's wrong, you know!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes burning with anger. "How could he say such a thing! He's just a stupid git, don't listen to him!" Darian arched an eyebrow at her exclamation feeling both touched and shocked. Hermione had never badmouthed a teacher before (except Umbridge and Trelawney of course) and it was rather comical to hear the usual Know-It-All goody-goody to call a teacher a git, even if it was Snape.  
  
"You know not to listen to him, right Darian?" she asked gently, walking over to him slowly. "Yeah....he's just a git, you're right as always," Darian lied, covering up the obvious lie with flattery.  
  
It didn't work. Hermione frowned and put both her hands on Darian's shoulders. "You do believe what your relatives and your father say, don't you?" He said nothing, he merely sat there staring into her eyes as if hypnotized. "We love you, Harry..." Hermione told him, using his old name. "All of us, Dumbledore, Remus, the Weasleys, Hagrid, and so many more, including me....even Snape cares for you. I know he does, deep, deep down inside," she gave him a smile. "Because it's impossible not to love you, Darian, it's impossible and don't ever let anyone make you forget that."  
  
Darian gave her a small smile and she hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the warmth that she seemed to glow with as he breathed in her scent which smelt like roses. 'When did she start wearing perfume?' he wondered as he held her. 'Or maybe it's shampoo...'  
  
"I'd appreciate it if you two wouldn't treat my office as a rest area and a hangout spot," said a cold voice.  
  
They both drew back quickly and turned to see Snape standing at the door, a sneer on his face as he eyed the two before him with slight disgust. Darian looked away from the cold glare but Hermione stood strong and met the glare of her professor with one of her own. "I'm sorry, sir," Hermione said cooly. "I just thought that you'd act the least bit decent to your son but I guess I was mistaken," she stated icily.  
  
Darian stared at Hermione, wide-eyed. What was up with her this year? First she ranted furiously about Snape's teaching methods after the first day of classes, then she called him a git, and then practically informed the man that he was a heartless bastard!  
  
Snape's eyes flashed. "That will be fifty points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger. Now get out of my sight unless you wish to loose twice as much," the man spat.  
  
Hermione glared and put a hand on Darian's shoulder, "Come on," she said gently to him. "Let's get out of here and you can 'meet' Ron."  
  
"I don't think so, Miss Granger," Snape said smoothly. "I would have thought that someone with high grades such as yourself would be smart enough to realize that it would look strange if a Snape were to hang around with two Gryffindors!" Snape sneered. "I guess I was mistaken..."  
  
Hermione closed her eyes briefly before saying in a forced polite voice, "But Darian was raised in an orphanage in the muggle world and went to school in China, how would he know about the reputation the Snape family carried? And he is a Ravenclaw."  
  
"Twenty points from Gryffindor and a weeks worth of detention with Filch, Miss Granger," Snape said coldly. "And you'd better be glad that I don't make it a hundred and inform the head of your house about your disrespect for a professor." Hermione opened her mouth to say, 'I give respect where it's due, Professor' but Darian cut her off, "Don't, 'Mione...." he muttered in a tired voice. "Let's just go before you gaurantee the Slytherin house the House Cup."  
  
The girl nodded and the two teens walked out. Darian stopped in front of Hermione in the hall, "What was that about?" he asked in an amazed voice. She smiled and blushed slightly.  
  
"Have Ron and I finally started to rub off on you?" he grinned at her.  
  
Hermione grinned back before becoming serious. She said quietly, "He has no right to be like that to you, Darian. He has no right to make you feel worthless when you're not!" She paused for a moment to look him in the eyes, "And I am not going to let him make you feel like that! You are his son and you deserve so much better. Parents aren't supposed to treat their children like that, Darian."  
  
"He's always treated me like that, Hermione," Darian mumbled, looking at the floor.  
  
"And it wasn't right then either!" Hermione exclaimed, surprising him slightly. "But now it's so much more worse, because you are his son. Not his student, not the son of a man he hated, HIS son." She shuffled her feet looking quite uncomfortable and muttered in a low voice, "Not to mention the treatment you suffered from your relatives.....he knows about that now and he's just making it worse by saying those things." She finished her little speech and looked up at Darian expectantly.  
  
The boy merely shrugged and heaved a sigh, "Doesn't matter anyway, he's not going to change, he will never change. I'll just have to deal with my father hating me...." he trailed off and Hermione put an arm around him.  
  
"Just remember that despite Snape's dislike for you, you have so many people who care for you Darian. Promise me that you will always remember that?" Hermione said gently. Darian looked into her eyes and said sincerly,  
  
"I promise."  
  
Hermione smiled, "I'll escort you to the Ravenclaw dorms shall I?" she asked almost playfully.  
  
"Are you sure you want to be seen with 'Darian Snape'? It may ruin your perfect reputation..." he said in a slighty mocking voice.  
  
"I'll live."  
  
Darian nodded slowly before he asked something that had been bugging him ever since the beginning of their talk. "Do you...er....do you think that it might be possible that Snape would actually...try?" he finished quietly.  
  
Hermione felt her heart go out to him. He sounded so hopeful, so hopeful about something that she knew was probably not going to happen. "We can always hope," she said quietly before they started up the stairs to the Ravenclaw dorm. Darian nodded, knowing what that meant.  
  
As the two teenagers dissapeared around the corner, Snape stepped out of his hiding place in the shadows as he stared after the two, an odd expression on his face and his black eyes, usually indifferent and cold, were swirling with uncertainty.

() Okay so tell me what you thought please and thank you!


	11. Chapter eleven Preperations for the Full...

Okay, school has officially started, people.

NOOOOO!!!!!!

Okay, okay, I'll stop... So thanks to my reviewers!!!!

Praise the Lord!! Someone has finally answered my challenge besides me!!! It's called 'Unwavering Moon' by Sanura Sayeh.

And if anyone knows of anyone else that has answered my challenge then please tell me. I AM A READER TOO!!

Thanks, once again, to my wonderful beta-reader Badbugz!

Okay, now on with the chapter!!

Chapter eleven- Preperations For the Full Moon

"Oh, do get up already!" a loud voice rang in Darian's ear. Said boy groaned as he opened his eyes.

"Bugger off," he mumbled tiredly as he stuffed his face into his pillow to block out the annoying voice as well as the sunlight. He heard a huff before the footsteps faded away. Darian grinned into the pillow.

It didn't last long, however, when a few seconds later a gallon of ice cold water was dumped on him.

"OY!!!"

"I said get up!!"

"What the bloody hell was that for, woman!" Darian yelled as he reached for his wand. Lisa smirked. "Well I wasn't about to wait all day for you and breakfast is about to begin," she told him matter-of-factly.

"Not to mention the fact that none of your roommates were willing to wake you up."

"Oh shut it..." Darian muttered as he cast a drying spell on himself. "Do you mind! I need to change!" he snapped to the smiling girl. Lisa rolled her blue eyes and walked out of the room.

Darian sighed as he quickly changed into the new school robes Dumbledore had ordered for him. Lisa was the only person who had even looked his way without flinching or sneering. It seemed as if she didn't really have that many friends also since everyone did their best to stand clear of her to. So they were both loners.

He heard a soft 'whoof' and looked under his bed to see Snuffles laying down on a pile of Darian's clothes.

"Uh, Snuffles!" he scolded to the dog. "Get off my clothes! You are getting them hairy!"

Snuffles whined and scooted out from under the bed. Darian sighed as he picked up the wrinkled clump of robes and cast a quick cleaning spell on them before stuffing them back into his trunk.

"Bad dog!" he scolded, smirking at the dog's growl of annoyance. He stuffed his wand into his pocket and started to the door. Snuffles followed him.

"You're not going with me," he told the black canine. "You can't come to my classes."

Snuffles gave him a look as if to say, 'Then what am I supposed to do all day?'.

Darian rolled his eyes, "Do whatever you want, just stay outside and don't bother anyone."

He made to go downstairs again when Snuffles clamped onto the hem of his robes and gave it a strong tug. "Let me go! I need to get to class," Darian exclaimed in slight anger. "You can come with me to the Great Hall but after that you need to go outside!" he told his godfather. "And you better not bother anyone either."

Darian hurried down the stairs with Snuffles and met Lisa, who was waiting for him impatiently. "Well it's about time!" she huffed at him. Snuffles growled at her and Lisa backed away cautiously. "You....have a dog," she mumbled, eyeing Snuffles with fear.

"I don't like dogs..."

Darian smirked slightly, "Don't worry, he's just playing," he looked pointedly at Snuffles. "Aren't you, Snuffles?"

The dog gave him another annoyed look before backing off. Lisa quickly hurried out of the common room.

"You're really pushing it, you know?" he snapped to the dog. "You cannot act like that to people! Even if it is just for fun, you don't want to get kicked out do you?"

Snuffles stretched leisurly before throwing Darian a lazy expression.

Darian rolled his eyes, sighing and walking out of the common room with Snuffles trailing behind.

"Hey Darian!" Hermione and Ron were behind them by the time they reached the Entrance Hall. Darian's face broke out into a smile, "'Mione, Ron....shouldn't you two, er, stay away from me?"

Ron shrugged, "Come on, mate! Dumbledore knows he can't keep us away from you for long."

Darian grinned in response.

"We had better get to breakfast," Hermione said quietly. "You know, just in case Dumbledore has to say something _important_..." she hinted.

Darian suddenly remembered that Dumbledore was supposed to announce 'Harry Potter's' death this morning. He had completely forgotten. "Yeah, let's get going," he replied, his good mood suddenly dampened. He really didn't want to see everyone's reactions.

"See you..." Darian said to Ron and Hermione as they walked into the Great Hall. "And don't forget to try and make your reactions realistic, okay?" he told them very quietly.

The other two members of the 'Golden Trio' nodded and they set off toward the Gryffindor Table. Darian hurried over to his own table as Dumbledore stood up to address the students.

"May I have your attention, please," Dumbledore said and the hall immediately fell silent. He stood up with his head bowed and his shoulders slumped forward. The twinkle that usually resided in Dumbledore's eyes were gone and he looked his age.

"I am afraid that I have some rather," he broke off for a moment, "some rather bad news..." He cleared his throat and the students glanced at each other, whispering in confusion. They had never seen their headmaster so downhearted. He looked completely devastated.

"Some of you," Dumbledore continued and the whispers stopped, "might have noticed the absence of a Mr. Harry Potter. I am afraid that there was an accident that included him on Saturday night." Dumbledore let those words sink in for a couple moments before continuing. "Harry Potter was attacked by a panther in the Dark Forest on Saturday. His injuries were, fatal."

As expected, all hell broke loose. There were yells and shouts of outrage and nonbelief. Some Gryffindors were yelling at the Slytherins for some odd reason. Many girls had almost immediatly broke into tears. The Slytherins were looking confused and indifferent. The teachers were doing a rather good job of containing their emotions, compared to the students, at least. Professor McGonagall was very pale and had tears glittering in her eyes. Flitwick and Sprout were both murmuring unbelievingly to one another, though they had paled several shades also.

Darian had to duck his head to hide the expression on his face. He had never thought so many people would be so effected by his death. Once he had regained his composure, he sat up to look at the ones who had already known to see if they were doing a very good job of acting.

Dumbledore's reaction was believable, mainly due to the tone his voice had taken on when he had told everyone about Harry's death. He still had that devastated look on his face that made Darian quickly look away.

Hermione was crying into Ron's shirt. Ron was shaking his head slowly, his eyes glazed as he mouthed unspoken words.

Darian held back a smirk knowing that the secret was safe when it came to Ron and Hermione.

He glanced at Remus, who was slumped in his seat with his head in his hands. Darian noticed that Snuffles was whining slightly from under the table.

He felt a touch of hatred as he dared to glance at Snape, whose face was curtained by his greasy hair so no one could see his expression.

Darian sighed and looked at Lisa, who was right beside him looking very pale, her hands were clamped over her mouth. "He was so nice," she whispered to Darian. "I never knew him personally but I had heard he was a really nice guy, and brave as well."

Darian merely nodded to show that he was listening.

"I feel sorry for him," Lisa said quietly as she examined her hands. Darian felt a touch of anger at her pity for him. He hated pity.

"Classes have been canceled for today," Dumbledore told them all quietly. "Harry's body will be cremated and released into the ocean. There will be no funeral and his closest friends as well as all teachers will be there when his ashes are released, that is all."

The headmaster sat back down heavily and a couple people (most of them being Gryffindors) hurried out of the Great Hall in hopes of finding some kind of comfort in the darkness of their dormitories.

Darian noticed that Ron and Hermione had left. He glanced at Lisa before slowly standing up and walking out of the hall, away from the whispers and cries of sadness that he had caused.

He walked up to the Astronomy Tower and looked out at the gray sky. It was raining, even the weather seemed to be mourning for Harry Potter's supposed death. Darian sighed and leaned up against the stone wall of the tower as he looked at the wet grounds of Hogwarts. Snuffles had followed him and was now sitting on the edge of the stone wall, also looking out onto the grounds.

Darian sighed as he reached down to pet Snuffles absentmindedly.

He had caused all of this. All of this pain. Darian knew that after the war was over, he would be revealed to everyone as really being Harry Potter.

Darian flinched, knowing that they would all kill him for putting him through all that pain. He stared out at everything and thought about, with a shiver, the full moon that was approaching in two weeks.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Darian never thought that it could feel so good to be the son of Snape. Sure many people would rather step in dung then look at him, but he was treated normally.

Normal.

Not like the bloody Boy-Who-Lived, he was treated like a normal student should be treated.

Who cared if the only friend he could talk to in public was Lisa? Who cared if Ron and Hermione had to act like they hated him? Who cared if Snape still hated him? He was normal, and he knew that both Ron and Hermione didn't mean anything that they said, so it was all good.

Until the night of October fourth.

Darian had known that this day would be coming. He had been dreading it terribly and he wanted nothing more then to just hide away from the full moon. He was scared, and he wasn't afraid to admit it. He was scared of the monster he would become, he was scared of the pain it would cause.

Darian had started to drink the Wolfsbane Potion, which tasted horrible. He dreaded it each time he saw Snape approaching with the potion in hand.

Remus helped a whole lot. He told Darian all about what would happen. He told Darian that everything was going to be alright, even if it would feel as if he was dying when he transformed.

The fact that Remus and Sirius was going to be there with him when he transformed brought Darian alot of comfort. To know that they were going to be right beside him the whole time was relieving.

The morning of the fourth was sunny and cheery, which greatly contrasted to Darian's gloomy mood. Lisa had went on ahead without him, which he was rather grateful for; he didn't think he could deal with her insistant chatter. Don't get him wrong or anything, Lisa was okay but she talked way too much, and she wasn't Ron or Hermione, though she did act like one of them at times.

"Darian!" Hermione hurried up from behind him as he was headed down the stairs. "Rem-I mean, Professor Lupin wants to meet up with you, you're excused from classes today."

Darian rolled his eyes, "I figured..."

Hermione put an arm around him, "Hey, it's going to be okay. Remus knows what he's doing and he'll help you as well as Siri-er, Snuffles." She glanced at Snuffles, who was beside Darian as usual, with a stern look.

"I know," Darian told her as they starting walking to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. "I just heard it was supposed to be really painful...."

"It'll be okay," she reasurred again. Hermione frowned, "Aren't you going to eat breakfast before you go to Professor Lupin's?"

"Lost my appetite," Darian muttered as he absentmindedly reached down to scratch Snuffles behind the ears.

"Ah, Darian, so nice of you to be so prompt," Remus said as they walked into his office. Snape was beside his desk, looking at some papers, ignoring them. "I was just showing Severus here my lesson plans for the next couple of days," Remus said pleasantly.

Snuffles growled at Snape.

"You had best control that mutt of yours, Mr. Snape," Snape said coldly, without looking up from the lesson plans. "You wouldn't want him to be put to sleep would you?"

Darian scowled at the man, "Fortunately, you have no control over that, Professor."

"Try me, Mr. Snape."

Darian glared at the man, but said nothing.

Snape finally looked up from the lesson planes to glare at Hermione and Darian. "I have brewed your last Wolfsbane Potion for this month, Mr. Snape," Snape said curtly, nodding to the smoking goblet. Darian shuddered as he took the goblet and swished around the liquid.

"The sooner you take it, Darian, the sooner it will be over," Remus told him as he took the last gulp of his own Wolfsbane Potion.

Darian sighed and squeezed his eyes shut before downing the whole potion in one gulp. He pulled a disgusted face and gagged slightly.

Remus immediately summoned some pumpkin juice which Darian quickly drank to get rid of the disgusting taste that lingered in his mouth.

"You do know that Sirius will be there with us tonight, don't you, Darian?" Remus asked him gently and Darian nodded. "It's not going to lessen the pain any is it?" he mumbled.

"No," Remus said. "But it does make it a whole lot more better once you've transformed to have some company other than another werewolf," he explained.

Snape and Hermione watched the exchange silently.

"I do not think your presence is required anymore, Miss Granger," Snape stated curtly to Hermione.

She bristled and glared at him before giving Darian a hug. "It'll be alright, you'll see. Ron and I will be right there when you wake up, we promise."

"Thank you," Darian whispered to her as he pulled back from their hug. "That helps more then you'll ever know..." Hermione smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek before turning around and hurrying out of the office, blushing slightly.

Darian reached his hand up to touch his cheek, feeling the warm feeling in the pit of his stomach grow slightly.

Remus smiled. Snape rolled his eyes, but kept the biting remark to himself.

"Alright Darian," Remus began. "Tomorrow morning, Severus and Sirius are going to transfer us to the Hospital Wing as soon as the sun comes up."

Darian groaned, "I have to go there again?"

"Of course we do. Not only will we probably fight during the full moon, but we will also be very tired," Remus told him.

"But I thought that the Wolfsbane Potion was supposed to let us keep our minds when we transform," Darian said, his brow furrowed.

"Yes that is true but when two werewolves are together, even if they do keep their minds, their instinct takes over and they fight."

"Then what's the point of taking the Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Well if we didn't take the Wolfsbane Potion then we might end up killing each other and Sirius as well," Remus explained patiently. "Werewolves have instincts that are so strong that they can even override our minds. Which is one of the reasons why our eyes turn amber when we're really mad. The Wolfsbane Potion tames the instincts a little, only enough for us to prevent ourselves from doing serious damage to one another."

"Oh," Darian looked even more troubled.

Snuffles transformed into Sirius. "It'll be alright, Ha-Darian," Sirius told him. "I'll be there and if you or Remus gets out of control, then I will handle it."

Snape snorted and rolled his eyes, "Bet it makes him feel so much better to know that his mutt of a godfather, that can't even control himself, is going to try and control two werewolves at a full moon."

"Shut it, Snape."

"Sirius, Severus will you please!" Remus huffed.

The two glared at each other, it was quite childish actually.

Darian broke the silence tenitively, "May I go now?" Remus's face softened slightly as he turned to look at Darian, "No, you cannot. The full moon is tonight and you are emotionally unstable right now. We cannot risk anything."

The boy sighed and sat down, slumped, in a chair.

Remus squatted down beside Darian, "I'm sorry it has to be this way, Darian.....I'm sorry-"

"Don't..." Darian muttered as he looked into his fellow werewolf's eyes. "I need to get used to it. It's just going to be like this for the rest of my life...."

"Now you don't know that," Remus said immediately. "Who knows? Maybe some smart wizard or witch will come out with a remedy or a cure, maybe Hermione will."

The older werewolf smiled at his young charge, hoping to cheer him up a bit. It didn't work, unfortunately.

"Did they tell you that when you were first bitten?" Darian asked bitterly.

Sirius arched an eyebrow at Darian's uncharacteristic display of bitterness. "He was just trying to cheer you up, Darian."

"Don't bother, Padfoot," Remus muttered as he stood back up. "He can't help it, the full moon is tonight, makes me have a short temper too."

Darian said nothing as he studied his hands.

"Maybe you two should go," Remus said abruptly to Sirius and Snape. "Neither Darian, nor I need to get worked up over something stupid right before the full moon and you two don't exactly get along well."

Darian snorted. "That's an understatement," he muttered.

Sirius sighed., "Alright," he said hesitantly. "I'll see you two tonight."

Remus nodded and Darian muttered, "Right..."

Sirius paused slightly at Darian's bored tone of voice before transforming into Snuffles and trotting out into the hall.

Snape frowned at the two before him. Remus nodded to him, "We'll see you tomorrow, Severus." Snape nodded slowly as he eyed Darian with an odd expression. He looked at the boy for a couple minutes before looking up at Remus again.

"Fine, but if he is seriously injured in any way then you and the mutt will pay," he hissed and exited the room quickly, as if embarressed about what he had just said.

Darian's head snapped up at the comment and he stared at the spot Snape had been standing in, his eyes slightly glazed. "Did he really just say that?" he mumbled tiredly.

Remus smiled, "You see, Darian, Severus does care for you, he just doesn't know how to express it." The man shuddered as he remembered seeing the cuts on Snape's wrists when they had been sixteen.

He glanced over at Darian hoping, praying that the boy wasn't coping with abuse the same way his father had all those years ago.

() Well.......I don't know if that was very good or not.

I have been dreading telling everyone about Harry's supposed death because I'm not sure if I got the reactions right! Please review and tell me!!

Next chapter is the full moon, finally!!

Bye!


	12. Chapter twelve The first full moon!

I'm am terribly, terribly sorry for the wait but school got in the way. I do hope this chapter is okay. It is unbetaed just to let you know and I will put up the beta'd version asap. I just wanted to post this asap.

Thanks once again to my reviewers! Butterbeers all around! (there actually is a recipe for that, I want to try one...)

Chapter twelve- The first full moon

Darian shivered amongst the biting wind as he and Remus made their way to the Shrieking Shack. He was scared, scared to the point that he was shaking from more then just the cool wind. It was hard for him to imagine that in only a couple short minutes, he would be a monster, a werewolf.

He let out a quiet whimper at the thought.

Remus heard it, due to his acute sense of hearing. Not to mention the small fact that he could sense the terror radiating off from the boy. Remus winced in sympathy as he remembered, with a shudder, his own first transformation. Of course it was still painful to transform into a werewolf but when he had first transformed, it had seemed more painful then the rest.

Probably because his body had been so fragile and small. And now, his body was used to the monthly transformations so it didn't seem as painful.

Remus wrapped a comforting arm around Darian, "It'll be over before you know it, and after we transform, Sirius will be there with us," he said in an attempt to calm the shaking boy.

Darian said nothing as he leaned into the warm embrace; feeling slightly comforted about Remus and Sirius being with him.

They approached the Whomping Willow and Remus grabbed the branch to press the knot. It froze immediately and the two hurried into the Shrieking Shack.

"Where is Sirius?" Darian asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"He will be here in a couple minutes," Remus replied as he took off his outer robes to reveal the most shaggiest article of clothing he owned. "After we transform...."

Darian frowned as he also began to take off his outer robes. He was wearing a pair of Dudley's old clothes, since he had better clothes now thanks to Dumbledore.

"You ready?" Remus asked him gently as he made his way over to the pale boy. "It will be alright, it's not like you're going to die," he told him comfortingly as he eyed Darian's pale and shaking body.

Darian merely nodded and Remus wrapped an arm around him again. "Sirius will be here in a couple minutes," Remus said conversationally. Darian nodded, knowing that the man was only trying to take his mind off of the upcoming transformation.

Remus frowned at the boy, whose eyes were about as wide as Galleons, "Think of something else.....think of Hermione." Remus smiled as the sentence did its deed when Darian blushed.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked in a small voice. Remus blinked and looked at the boy beside him, "Why would I be mad at you?"

Darian shuffled, "For telling Hermione about me being a werewolf."

Remus sighed, "Darian, we've talked about this....it's not your fault, Hermione is a very smart witch, she was bound to find out in a couple months when she recognized the symptoms. It was just an accident," Remus smiled, "And she didn't hate you or abandon you did she?"

Darian let a slow smile creep to his face before he sobered up again, "Snape seems to think that I told her on purpose..."

"So?" Remus asked. "Who cares what Snape thinks? He's wrong, it wasn't your fault and I don't want to hear another word on it," Remus said sternly but gently.

The fell into silence once more, each awaiting the full moon.

Darian felt something akin to butterflies in his stomach; only they were of fear instead of excitement.

He felt an irritation rising up in him as he thought of Sirius not being here with him when he transformed.

What was happening to him? Why was he feeling this way?

But the feeling continued to rise rapidly as he grit his teeth angrily and felt Remus tense from beside him. Irritation was rising up in him like never before, consuming him until he felt an all out loathing for everything. The feeling quickly turned to a burning pain so sudden that it made him cry out sharply and collapse to the floor.

He waited for Remus to help him back up but the other man didn't come. Darian grit his teeth furiously. Where was Remus? Why wasn't he helping? He had promised Darian that he'd be there with him. The irritation along with the pain grew rapidly and Darian's knees gave out as his face hit the floor. He sneezed as the dust stirred up from the floor; he felt the cool wooden floor against his cheek as he let out a hiss of pain.

The searing pain traveled through him until he felt as if his whole body were on fire. The pain was unbearable, worse then the abuse he had suffered from Vernon, worse then the Cruciatus.........so much worse.

He was screaming, that much was for sure; the raw, stinging pain in his throat was telling him that. He could feel himself morphing; changing rapidly making it all the more painful as ripples of pain tore through his small body. His body was jerking as it grew, his muscles buffing, his hands and feet growing larger, his face changing. His teeth felt as if someone were trying to pull them out with a pair of pliers. He curled into a ball, wishing for death to claim him.

A tearing sound was heard above his screaming as his clothing tore.

He barely even recalled taking a breath from the screaming as his voice morphed into something low, fierce. The scream soon turned into a howl.

And just as Darian felt as if he were about to go insane from the pain, it started to recede. The unbearable pain was very slowly reduced to a dull ache.

Darian was still. He couldn't move; he was paralyzed. He tried to move his fingers, his hand, anything, but no limb obeyed. Darian panicked, his breath coming out in quick pants as he tried to regain his strength enough to move at least an inch.

He lay there like that for a moment before he could finally find the strength to move. He slowly sat up, instantly noting the unfamiliar limbs. He carefully stood up on all four legs, only to come crashing back down to the floor a moment later sending a fresh wave of aches coursing through his body.

Darian let out a frustrated growl, surprising himself slightly at the animalistic sound that came from himself. He tried standing on the unfamiliar four limbs again and swayed slightly, but managed to stay upright.

The first thing he noticed was that his sight had changed dramatically. His vision held no color, but everything seemed sharper, more clear and precise. His amber eyes darted around the room, taking in the bed and desk.

He tried an experimental step forward, swaying slightly before nearly loosing his balance again. Once he had steadied himself, he tried another step and then another. When he was sure that he could walk without falling, he looked behind himself to see Moony.

The werewolf looked exactly like he had in Darian's third year.

Darian took a step toward his fellow werewolf, swaying again. Moony walked over to him with ease and Darian felt a pang of resentment. Obviously, Moony sensed that as he gave him a look as if to say, 'Now I've been a werewolf longer then you have!'

Darian blinked his new amber eyes in confusion. Had he just read Moony's mind? Had they communicated telepathically? But, Remus had told him that they couldn't use telepathy. Was he lying? Was he wrong?

The younger werewolf shook his head, his fur rippling slightly. He sniffed and nearly fell over at the strong and different odors that reached his nose. He could smell a scent, heading toward them now.

Darian growled as the scent came closer. Moony growled back at him as if to say, 'It's only Sirius you dolt!'

If he could have then Darian would have slapped himself at the stupidity. He felt an anger rise up in him at Moony's insult.

Who was Moony to insult him anyway?

Just because Moony has been a werewolf longer doesn't make him in charge of everything!

Who was he to tell him, Darian, what to do?

Darian felt anger and irritation rise up in him viciously and he suddenly wanted to attack Moony, to show this old werewolf that he would do what HE wanted to do.

With a loud growl, Darian leapt onto Moony with such force that the two werewolves were knocked down to the floor.

Darian sank his teeth into the other werewolf's neck and Moony howled before whipping around and pinning Darian underneath him. Moony reared back to strike, Darian howled and wriggled himself halfway free. Moony plunged his dagger-like teeth into Darian's right shoulder and Darian yelped in pain.

Why was he doing this again?

Darian really didn't care as he tackled the other werewolf, sending them both spiraling through the wall of the room. Darian whimpered as the chunks of wood and stone fell onto him, causing more blood to flow.

He distantly heard a bark and a second later; Moony's suffocating weight was pulled off of him. He was being yanked up by a pair of teeth, though it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would.

Darian nearly jumped for joy to see the familiar black dog known as Snuffles to Hogwarts and Padfoot to the Marauders.

Padfoot gave him a disapproving look and turned to glare at Moony, who was currently licking a wound on his paw from a falling brick.

Darian limped over to his godfather, swaying slightly. He dropped down on the floor beside him.

Padfoot rolled his eyes and stood up, giving them a loud bark, informing the two werewolves to follow him. Moony followed the dog as he whipped out of sight and Darian whined slightly as he tried to limp after them, only to fall on the floor once again.

He felt envious of Moony's ability to walk so easily after being injured. He lay on the floor for a moment before Padfoot and Moony came back.

Padfoot barked and Darian whined in response as he tried to stand up again, only to fall due to his injured leg. Moony trotted over to him and sat down.

Darian merely looked at him questioningly. The other werewolf shook his dark head for a moment, giving a soft 'woof'. Darian blinked in confusion. If Moony had been human, he probably would have slapped himself on the forehead in frustration.

Moony lifted his own paw and licked the wound on it.

Darian glanced at the injury on his leg before licking it cautiously, as if he were unsure of his actions. Moony watched him in approval as the he and Padfoot waited patiently for Darian to finish cleaning himself up before they finally headed out of the Shrieking Shack.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Hermione sat at the top of the Astronomy Tower as she looked around nervously. The moon had just risen and she felt a shiver run down her spine as she remembered Remus transforming into a werewolf.

She couldn't even imagine the same thing happening to Darian.

The pain he would feel......and he and Remus would fight, oh Merlin would they fight! Hermione had read all about werewolves and it has been written that when two werewolves, who are not of the same pack, meet then they would most likely fight, due to their need to prove that one is better then the other.

That would cause the most injuries.

Hermione winced as she heard a loud howl echo across the grounds. Her thoughts turned to her Potion's professor. Ever since she had found out that Darian was really Snape's son, she had felt a loathing for the man beyond anything she had ever felt before.

It wasn't because he was Darian's father, no, she was happy that he had a living parent. It was just how much Snape hurt Darian. Not physically, thank Merlin, but mentally; which could sometimes prove worse then physical abuse.

The man just couldn't get over the hatred he had harbored for the last five years. Hermione swore that some of her professors acted so childish sometimes. Darian was Snape's son for Merlin's sake! Snape now knew that Darian was abused so why couldn't the man just.....let go of the old grudges at least long enough to really get to know his son?

Hermione shook her head. She knew Darian trusted her, and she hoped to Merlin that he would come to her if he ever needed anything.

She shivered, many times over the past couple of weeks, Hermione had began to wonder if Darian was suicidal or if he would ever do something similar to that. He had so much to handle, so many were constantly depending on him.

She could only imagine what it must feel like....... All she knew was that she would never be able to handle all the stress that Darian was handling now, she would just burn out under all of it!

Hermione swallowed and closed her eyes, trying to reassure herself that Darian would never do something as stupid as that.

A slight smile grazed her lips as she remembered what had happened when Darian had accidentally told her about him being a werewolf.

_######FLASHBACK#######_

_"You seem to be getting better at Potions, Darian," Hermione said brightly as she, Ron, and Darian walked to lunch._

_Darian blushed slightly, "I suppose it's hereditary..." He didn't look very pleased at this. _

_Ron snorted, "I feel bad for you, mate." _

_"So how have you and Snape been doing?" Hermione asked innocently. Darian said nothing as he tightened his grip on his books and walked a little faster then his two friends. _

_Ron glanced at Hermione, "What was that about?" the redhead asked her. Hermione sighed, "Don't ask me, I can't read minds!"_

_"But you know everything," Ron insisted before hurrying to catch up with Darian. "Hey, mate slow down!" Hermione heard him call after the boy. _

_Hermione narrowed her eyes as Darian became immediately cheerful again. There was a ghost of fear in his eyes and Hermione became suspicious. _

_She pulled him aside and told Ron to go on without them. Ron, who had gotten over his little crush on Hermione and was now looking at other girls, smiled slyly and winked at the two of them. _

_"Have fun!" he called mockingly as he headed on to lunch without them. _

_Darian sneered after him and turned to Hermione expectantly. "Well?" he asked, arching an inquiring eyebrow. _

_"What's wrong, Darian?" Hermione asked, her brown eyes filled with concern. "You've been acting so gloomy lately, and it's not even a month into term!"_

_The boy shuffled his feet as he stared at the ground, "It doesn't matter, it's not important..."_

_"Of course it is!" Hermione exclaimed, making Darian jump._

_Darian sighed, "I just.....have a lot on my mind..." he trailed off. Hermione's gaze softened, "I take it you and Snape aren't getting along that well?" she asked gently._

_Her friend nodded slowly, "We hate each other, that will never change." _

_"Maybe if you try-"_

_"What do you think I've been doing?" Darian hissed, though the anger was not directed at her. "I'm the one that has to be cautious about what I say. I'm the one who always apologizes. Me! Not him! No, he doesn't even try! He's the one that always starts the damn arguments," Darian snapped, feeling a rush of anger and sadness. _

_Hermione felt her heart crumble at the look of absolute devastation on Darian's face. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He buried his face into her shoulder and inhaled her scent. He always found Hermione's scent soothing to him for some odd reason._

_"And what about the full moon, Hermione?" he whispered to her. "I'm going to turn into a monster and you know how Snape hates werewolves...." Darian trailed off as he realized what he had just said. He immediately clapped his hands over his mouth. _

_Hermione drew back, her brown eyes wide. "Darian...." she whispered slowly. "You're a.....werewolf?" _

_Darian could have kicked himself; how could he have been so stupid? He was such an idiot! It must have reflected on his face, for Hermione said quietly, "I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about...." _

_Darian said nothing as he squeezed his eyes shut and imagined how mad Snape would be when he found out.....how mad Remus would be...._

_"When did it happen?" Hermione whispered gently. _

_Darian sighed, there was no point hiding it now. "On Saturday...." he grumbled. "When I 'supposedly' died..." _

_"Was Remus the one who...." Hermione trailed off and Darian nodded, "He's going to help me....and my first transformation is coming up...oh Merlin they're going to be so mad! I wasn't supposed to tell anyone..."_

_"Don't worry, I said I wouldn't tell anyone," Hermione reassured him. "I won't even tell Ron." _

_Darian looked up at her, "Please don't be afraid of me," he whispered suddenly. Hermione blinked, "Why would I be afraid of you?" _

_Darian's head dropped and he closed his eyes, "I'm a monster now....I-I'm not even....human."_

_Hermione hugged him once again and Darian shivered, feeling tranquility wash over him instantly. "I swear that I would never abandon you, Darian," Hermione told him sincerely, her voice muffled by his shoulder. _

_Darian closed his eyes and tightened his hold on her briefly, "Thank you...." _

_###########END FLASHBACK################_

Hermione smiled as she remembered the feeling of being held by Darian, a blush made it's way to her cheeks. She quickly sobered up, however when she remembered how Snape had reacted to Darian accidentally telling her.

The man had been horrible to Darian, he had yelled, cursed, and screamed about how stupid and foolish Darian was. The whole time, Darian had been all but cowering in his seat, his eyes clenched tightly shut and his breathing shallow.

Snape hadn't even noticed it.

For about a week after the incident, Darian had done his best to avoid Snape whenever he could and took a seat in the back of the room during Potions class. To put it simply, he had seemed terrified to go near Snape. Even Ron had noticed, but had wisely not questioned it.

Luckily, that ended soon enough and Darian was pretty much back to his old self, except for the fact that whenever Snape snapped at anyone, he would flinch or close his eyes briefly.

She looked out at the full moon.

"Be safe...."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Padfoot was annoyed. Not only that but he was also very worried and very angry. He had been hoping that once he took Darian and Moony out into the Forbidden Forest that they would lay off each other.

Of course nothing goes his way.

They had been fighting constantly, non-stop, Moony wasn't used to having another werewolf around, that was sure.

Padfoot had known that the first full moon would be like this; it would probably be similar to this in the next couple of full moons also. Moony and Darian just needed to get used to each other.

It was strange, how Moony cared so much about Darian when he was Remus Lupin, but was constantly trying to fight him when he was a werewolf. Padfoot would have thought that since Moony was the one that bit Darian, that they wouldn't fight as much.

But things never went his way.

Now, both Darian and Moony were gravely injured. It wouldn't be so bad if Darian were used to being this injured once a month. But this was Darian's first transformation and his body was still very fragile. Padfoot was worried that he wouldn't make it. Moony was pretty much in the same condition, but unlike Darian, he was used to it.

Padfoot would be glad when the moon went down in a couple hours.

A growl brought him back to the presence and he turned to see Darian snarling at Moony with his hackles raised.

'Oh boy...' he thought mentally before Darian leapt at Moony. The two tumbled through the trees in a snarling fit, each one clawing and biting at each other. Padfoot sprang after them, darting through the trees as he hurried to catch up with the two werewolves before they got to far away.

Moony was on top of Darian, biting at his neck. Padfoot felt a surge of fury toward the older of the two. He knew Moony couldn't help it, but he would have at least thought that Moony wouldn't be as aggressive as Darian.

Padfoot seized Moony around the neck and hauled him off the other werewolf. Moony snarled at him, lashing out and catching him around the chest, causing him to go whirling into a tree. Padfoot got up dazedly, feeling something warm trickle down his face. He waited for a moment for his vision to clear before he padded off after the two. Moony had Darian's tail while the younger werewolf was howling at the top of his lungs, making Padfoot's ears ring.

Padfoot hurried over and clamped his teeth around Moony's tail, causing the werewolf to howl in pain and release Darian.

Darian swayed as he started nursing his wounded tail. Padfoot thrust Moony into a cluster of bushes about ten feet from Darian. Moony reemerged a couple minutes later with clumps of dirt and leaves matted into his fur, contrasting greatly to the dried blood.

He launched himself at Darian once again but Padfoot was ready this time, he clamped onto Moony's back leg and gave it a hard tug. Moony went spinning away into the same cluster of bushes once again.

Darian finished tending to his tail and stood up, stretching as his amber eyes darted around for his fellow werewolf. Moony emerged from the bushes and Darian let out a growl as he tried to lunge at Moony, only to be stopped by Padfoot.

Padfoot really hated hurting his godson, but if it meant keeping him safe, then he would do it. He bit into the back of Darian's neck and gave the wolf a hard tug. Darian was much more lighter then Moony, thankfully, so it wasn't as hard to restrain him. Padfoot released Darian, sending the wolf skidding off behind him.

The black dog gave a sigh of exhaustion as he glanced at the full moon, which was starting to go down, making room for the sun that would shine in a couple hours. They needed to be heading back to the Shrieking Shack. He gave a loud bark to inform his companions to follow him back to the shack.

Moony and Darian followed him silently; both were apparently to tired to fight at the time. Padfoot thought that he could finally get some peace. But things never went his way.

As they neared the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Moony suddenly sprang on Darian, latching himself onto the younger wolf's neck as they both slammed into a tree.

Moony was on top of Darian, standing on top of his chest, cutting off his air. Darian gagged as he tried to push the suffocating weight off from him but Moony held strong. Padfoot was upon Moony in a flash as he shot himself toward his friend.

Padfoot ran, headfirst, into Moony's form, sending them both sailing over a large hill and into a swamp. Darian quickly got up, panting gratefully before hurrying after his godfather and fellow werewolf.

Moony and Padfoot were both drenched in swamp water and Darian would have laughed if he could have; his lungs still felt as if they were crushed. Moony was the first one who made his way back up the hill and Darian tensed. He started backing away from the other werewolf cautiously, not wanting to get into another fight. Moony seemed to sense his caution, for he closed in on him.

Darian continued to back away, his amber eyes searching desperately for Padfoot's form, but the dog was nowhere in sight. Moony shot up at him and shoved him on the ground once again. He bit on Darian's ear and gave a hard pull. Darian howled in pain, feeling as if the werewolf were going to rip his ear off. He could hear his blood pounding in the ear.

Darian reared back his left hind leg and knocked the other werewolf squarely in the stomach, which happened to be where he had made a large gash earlier. Moony yelped and rolled off from the young werewolf. Darian gained more confidence as he gripped Moony's leg with his teeth.

Big mistake.

Apparently Darian had gained just a little too much confidence since the next moment later, he was sent flying into a large oak tree. A sharp crack echoed across the forest as Darian made contact with the trunk.

Moony stopped his advance, knowing that he had gone to far. Padfoot chose that precise time to finally make his way up the hill, having heard the crack. He bounded over to Darian, inspecting the unconscious werewolf's injuries.

Padfoot gave Moony a look that promised trouble after he had healed. Moony hung his head slightly as he stepped closer to Darian, careful to keep his distance unless the wolf instincts took over once again. Padfoot gently lifted Darian up with his teeth and flung him onto his back. He then started to make his way out of the forest, going very slowly so his precious load wouldn't fall off and get wounded even worse.

Moony trailed behind, having the grace to look quite ashamed. They made their way across the grounds, stopping every once and a while to keep Darian from slipping off Padfoot's back.

Padfoot stopped in front of the Whomping Willow and Moony hurried ahead, dodging the swinging branches to press a paw on the knot of the tree. The willow froze immediately and Padfoot continued on his way.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The sun shone bright and cheery the next morning. All of the inhabitants of Hogwarts seemed to have gotten a rather decent amount of sleep; some were already rising to eat breakfast. The students were chatty, as usual; the teachers were talking quietly among themselves, as usual. Only a handful of the people could have been seen moping about.

Hermione Granger sat rigidly at her table from her place beside Ron. She picked at her breakfast cautiously, her thoughts elsewhere. Ron had no idea why she was so quiet today. His first thought was that something had happened to Darian. The redhead glanced over at the Ravenclaw table to see Lisa Turpin sitting by herself. Ron frowned and shook his head; it was probably nothing, Darian was probably still getting dressed.

How wrong he was.

Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore sat next to each other at the teacher's table. Neither one of them spoke and if anyone had been looking in their direction they might have gotten the impression that they were waiting for something, which they were.

Albus sighed as he glanced sadly around the Great Hall, hoping to see a familiar black dog bounding up to them. He glanced over at the brooding man beside him. Snape was looking at his food, though not touching it. It was quite obvious that there was something up with the Potion's Master and any student that might have looked his way may have thought that Trelawney had just predicted that Gryffindor would win the house cup again.

Albus might have smiled, had it not been for the serious situation. He could tell that Severus was worried about Darian. No matter how hard the man tried to hide it, it was quite obvious to Albus. Of course, Albus knew Severus more then almost anyone so it wouldn't be that hard to tell what the man was thinking.

"I'm sure he's fine, Severus," Albus said reassuringly as he started to butter his toast. The other man's head snapped up so fast that Albus feared that he might have broken his neck in the process.

"And why would I care, Albus?" Severus asked coldly as he eyed the older man with resentment.

Albus smiled, "Why do you deny it when it's quite obvious of your feelings for him?" He asked innocently.

Severus smirked, "Yes, it is quite obvious that I cannot stand him."

The older wizard sighed lightly, "I mean your real feelings for him, Severus, why must you insist on putting him through this torture when all he wants is for you to love him?"

Severus opened his mouth to retort when he was interrupted by a loud bark. The two wizards turned to see Snuffles, running as fast as he could to the teacher's table.

The few students who were up at this early hour turned to look at the dog curiously, some whispering among themselves. Ron glanced at Hermione, who looked alarmed.

"Shall we, Severus?" Albus asked quietly and the other wizard nodded. The two stood up to follow the dog.

They stepped into an abandoned classroom and Snuffles transformed back into Sirius.

"Albus, tell Madame Pomfrey to get a bed ready for Darian," he choked, gasping for breath.

Dumbledore turned serious immediately, "What is it? What happened, Sirius?"

Sirius shook his head, "He's injured very badly. Remus and him wouldn't stop fighting; the whole time all they did was fight."

Snape scowled darkly.

Dumbledore nodded and made to go to the Hospital Wing, "I shall see you two soon."

Sirius turned back into Snuffles before leading Snape out onto the grounds to the Whomping Willow. Snape pushed open the door to the Shrieking Shack and cursed as Snuffles all but ran over him to get to Darian.

Snape let his eyes slid across the room, taking in the blood that now stained the walls and floor. He caught sight of Remus, who had a robe over him, pale and shaking. There were bite marks, scratches, cuts, and bruises that marred every visible part of his body.

An involuntarily shiver ran up Snape's spine as he thought of the condition Darian would be in. He turned to see Sirius, in human form, leaning over Darian's figure. Snape slowly made his way over to the fallen boy.

Sirius was murmuring comforting words to the boy. Darian looked in worse shape then Remus, he had much more larger injuries along with at least three large gashes on his neck, his back was arched in a strange way. Snape bent down next to his son, trying desperately to ignore the blood that was caked on the small body.

"Tend to Lupin, Black," he commanded Sirius.

Sirius, who usually would have argued, nodded and hurried over to Remus, who was just starting to come to.

Snape took off his outer robe to wrap it around the shivering boy. The boy whimpered in pain and Snape carefully picked him up. Darian seemed to be having a lot of trouble breathing as he was choking violently, tremors running through his small frame. Darian coughed up some blood before moaning and loosing what little consciousness he had left.

Snape stood there for a moment watching the limp form in his arms with a look of wonder and puzzlement on his face. He was finally snapped out of his trance when Sirius called, "Come on, Snape! Do you want him to bleed to death?"

Snape opened his mouth to tell the blasted idiot that the boy wasn't in that bad of condition when he felt blood soaking through the robe he had wrapped Darian in.

Dumbledore met the two at the entrance to the Whomping Willow, where Sirius handed him Remus and turned back into Snuffles.

They hurried up to the Hospital Wing, which was empty except for a teary Madame Pomfrey. She told them to put the two in beds before shooing Dumbledore, Snape, and Snuffles out.

"Is Darian alright, Professors?" came Hermione's frantic voice as soon as they stepped out of the Wing. Ron was beside her looking quite confused, "Why would Darian be in the Hospital Wing, 'Mione?"

Hermione ignored the question as she stared at Dumbledore expectantly. "He is unconscious now, Miss Granger. You may see him after he wakes up...."

"But, I promised him we'd be there for him when he wakes up!" Hermione exclaimed. "I want to know if he's okay!"

"Miss Granger!" Snape snapped. "I suggest you head back to your dormitory unless you want to ensure the House Cup for Slytherin."

Ron stiffened at that and grabbed Hermione's sleeve. "Come on, let's go. I don't even know why you think he's in any trouble...." Ron waited for her to explain but when she didn't, he huffed and walked back down to the Gryffindor dorms.

Hermione stood there for a moment, glaring at Snape before she to left with a scowl, her arms folded making her look like a child who had just been denied a sweet.

The door to the Hospital Wing opened right after Hermione's departure and an anxious Madame Pomfrey stepped out.

"He's hyperventilating! Hurry!" she exclaimed before hurrying back into the Hospital Wing, the others trailing behind quickly.

Remus was beside Darian's bed, talking reassuringly to the shaking boy.

"Remus! Get back in your bed immediately!" Poppy snapped. "Darian is already hyperventilating. I don't need you to pass out!"

Snuffles gently helped Remus back in bed while Poppy, Albus, and Severus gathered around Darian's bed.

Darian was curled into a ball at the head of the bed, his skin was paler then usual. His green eyes were wide and glazed slightly as they darted around like a caged animal. He was trembling as if someone was shaking him. His breathing was very shallow, to shallow.

"Darian?" Albus asked gently as he sat down on the boy's bed. Darian's eyes snapped on the headmaster's form. "Stay away!" he shouted to the old man. "Stay away from me! No, don't touch me!" he yelled as Albus reached out a wrinkled hand to grasp Darian's.

"What is the matter child?"

"I won't do it again! You can't make me!" Darian screamed in fury, his green eyes flaring to amber. "You can't make me do it again!"

"Do what again, Darian?"

"I won't do it! I won't!"

"Darian-" Albus reached out a hand again and Darian recoiled immediately as if it were a snake.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"What is wrong with him?" Snape demanded as he stepped closer to the boy. Darian's eyes flew from Severus to Albus and back again.

"Stay away from me..."

"He's just suffering from a severe shock," Poppy explained quietly as she took out a Calming Potion. "The pain must have been to much for him."

"Well I should say so!" Sirius, who had turned back into a human, snapped. "Remus and him did nothing but fight!"

Albus looked over at Remus disapprovingly.

"I couldn't help it," Remus whispered, looking guilty. "I tried to stop.....but I couldn't...."

"Here Darian, honey, take this," Poppy said gently as she held out the vial of Calming Potion. Darian seemed to be trying to make himself invisible as he pressed himself against the wall tightly; his eyes still wide, alert.

"It will help, Darian," Albus insisted quietly but did not try to take Darian's hand again.

Darian eyed the potion with distrust. "Just drink the potion, Darian," Sirius said mildly as he approached the boy's bed (Darian's eyes snapped on him). "You honestly don't think we'll poison you, do you?"

The innocent question just seemed to drive Darian into hysterics and the boy was soon convulsing as if the Cruciatus Curse had recently hit him.

"He's not getting enough air!" Poppy exclaimed over Darian's frantic gasps for air. "We need to calm him down!"

"Stupefy him," Severus told them all as he took out his wand and pointed it at the boy. "Severus! _No!_" he heard the headmaster say desperately but he had already cast the spell.

"Stupefy!" a jet of red light shot from his wand just as Darian turned back towards him. For a moment, Severus thought that he was dreaming. Time seemed to stop as the spell froze in midair only a couple inches from Darian's face. The boy was staring at the jet of light with an odd, fascinated expression. Snape met his son's pained green eyes for a moment before time rightened again, only this time, the spell was coming towards him instead of Darian.

It happened so fast that Severus could have sworn that he imagined it. One moment, he was staring at Darian and the next, he heard the headmaster shout and everything went black.

() Phew! Okay that seemed like a good place to stop.

Don't know if it was very good. I have been really nervous about the werewolf transformation so tell me if I screwed it up or if it was good!

Please review!

Bye!


	13. Chapter thirteen Even the best people ca...

Thanks to all my reviewers once again!! I am terribly sorry for the long wait, hope this chapter is good. Okay, this chapter is where it gets kind of......disturbing and when you see the warning, please don't run away screaming because EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT!! Also! This chapter is unbetaed so there may be alot of spelling and grammer mistakes.

Okay, enough with my blabbing!

Warning: Suicidal themes!!!

Chapter thirteen- Even the best people can make the worst decisions....

Severus groaned as he blurrily opened his eyes. Everything was blurry at first but after a couple experimental blinks, everything came into focus once again. His black eyes darted around the dark Hospital Wing as if searching for any movement.

"Severus, its good to see that you are awake," Dumbledore was beside his bed in a cushioned chair. Severus jumped slightly at the sight of the man before scowling heavily.

"What happened?" his voice was calm and cool though it was weaker then usual. Severus paused to remember the last couple of moments he could think of.

Him and Black going down to the Whomping Willow. Him and Dumbledore hurrying Lupin and Darian up to the Hospital Wing. Granger and Weasley demanding to go inside. Darian panicking. His own stupefy curse being fired at himself......

Severus groaned again as he remembered. He looked around the Hospital Wing, careful to not miss any detail. All the beds were empty besides his and the bed next to him, which he assumed Darian was residing in.

Severus glanced at the headmaster, who was still smiling at him cheerfully. He rolled his eyes before glancing almost cautiously back at his son's pale form.

"What did he do to me?" he asked quietly as if afraid that the boy would hear them talking. Dumbledore continued to smile broadly and Severus suddenly wanted to slap the serene smile off the old man's face.

Albus cleared his throat. "I'm sure you have heard of the prophecy involving Darian and Voldemort?"

Severus winced at the Dark Lord's name but nodded.

"Well," Albus continued. "It seems as if we've found out what 'the power the Dark Lord knows not' is."

Severus arched an eyebrow.

"It appears that he has the ability to control magic," Albus said hurriedly as he saw Severus began to get impatient.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that he has the ability to control energy......_magical_ energy, the energy that spells are made up of, the energy that we use to fire those spells, the energy-"

"I get the point, Albus!" Severus snapped irritably as he reached a hand up to rub his eyes.

"So, as you have probably already guessed, Harry-"

"Darian," Severus corrected unconsciously. He grit his teeth as Albus's smile grew.

"Yes, Darian. Sorry Severus, my mistake..."

"Just get on with it already!"

"What is going on in here?" came Madame Pomfrey's angry voice. She was standing in the doorway to the Hospital Wing dressed in her tartan night-robes with her arms folded as she glared at the two.

"Severus, you should be resting and you need to leave Albus! I won't have you disturbing my patients again!" she snapped at Albus, who was looking quite unabashed.

"My apologies, Poppy," Albus said sincerely. "I was just speaking to Severus here about Darian...."

"You can speak to him tomorrow, he needs his rest!"

Severus snorted at the slightly taken aback look on Albus's face before the old man broke into a smile once again. Severus scowled; how could someone always stay so cheerful? It was as annoying as hell in Severus's eyes.

"Well then, I shall see you tomorrow, Severus. Good night to both of you," and with a swish of a robe, he left.

A short silence followed Albus's leave and Poppy turned to Severus, about to yell at him to get to bed when a soft moan broke the silence.

Darian opened his emerald eyes groggily and sat up slowly. He simply sat there for a moment, trying to get his bearings before glancing at Poppy and Severus almost cautiously.

"What happened?" he asked weakly, echoing his father's earlier words. Severus sneered at the boy and folded his arms, prepared to say something rather nasty.

"Just another spot of Accidental Magic, Darian," Poppy cut Severus off. "Nothing to serious."

Darian looked at her for a moment before glancing down at himself, staring at the bandages with an odd expression on his face. "When is the next full moon?" he whispered almost fearfully.

"Not until another twenty-six days, dear," Poppy said soothingly as she drew the covers up over him again. "You need your rest, Darian."

The boy looked as if he had been expecting to be told that he was transforming into the horrible monster again the next day. His relief was obvious and Severus felt a nudge in his heart as he eyed the bandages that covered Darian's torso.

Darian made to lie back down when a sharp pain flared through his back. He hissed loudly in pain, causing the two adults to look at him curiously. "My back...." He moaned to Poppy. "It hurts..."

"I'm afraid you may have damaged your spinal cord a little," Poppy said gently as she made her way over to Darian to help him lie down. Darian winced and reached to clamp a hand over the small of his back.

"Is it serious?" he asked dreadfully. Poppy felt her heart crumble as the pleading emerald eyes were suddenly focused upon her. "It could be," she found herself saying quietly. "You just need to take it easy for a couple of weeks. You may need to walk with a cane for a while."

Darian groaned. "Great, just what I need..."

Poppy patted his hand soothingly. "It will be alright."

"Everything always happens to me. Do you notice that?" Darian mumbled as he brought his hands to his face.

"Quite with the dramatics," Severus snapped in an annoyed tone though it lacked the usual venom it possessed; Darian didn't seem to notice. He scowled at his father heavily before saying bluntly, "Why do you hate me so much?"

"He doesn't hate you, dear, what ever made you think that he did?" Poppy asked gently though it was obvious that she wasn't just trying to convince Darian of that.

"Yes he does," Darian replied immediately as he glared at Severus, who was by that point looking quite irritated. How dare the boy presume that he, Severus, hated him just because he wasn't by the boy's side, telling him everything would be alright in that annoying paternal voice that he so hated whenever concerned parents would dote on their children over the stupidest things. The day he did that was the day that he proclaimed James Potter as his best friend. Well, maybe he did care about the boy a tiny bit more then he used to but Severus knew that it was only out of pity for the boy that he had just recently found out had been abused all his life. Severus knew that the boy hated pity as much as he did so it wouldn't due to act as if he cared when it was only out of pity. But he wasn't about to go and tell the boy that he felt pity for him, he was still the insufferable brat that had made his teaching days over the last five years ten times worse. So, Severus acted the only other way he could: like a bastard.

"Because, Mr. Snape, you are an insufferable little, snot-nosed child who expects to be waited on hand and foot just because he happens to be the supposed savor of the wizarding world," he responded airily. "But you are NOTHING special, Mr. Snape. You are supposed to be the savor of the wizarding world and yet you can't even stand up to a mere muggle."

Shocked silence followed his rant.

Severus turned away from the boy feeling a rather satisfied for making James Potter's adopted son feel like shit but also feeling a slight nudge in his heart at seeing the boy's face twist in pain. He angrily drowned out the small feeling of guilt in his satisfaction. After all, he was the boy's father wasn't he? And he needed to make sure the boy knew that the world was not going to obey to his every whim.

"Severus!" Poppy scolded, looking alarmed at what the professor had said. Sure he was snippy and bitter but she never would have thought that he would say something like that after he had realized that Darian hadn't had the charmed life he had thought and the small fact that Darian happened to be his son.

Darian felt a now familiar burning pain in his heart. He turned away from his father and closed his eyes. _Well what did you expect?_ Darian thought to himself. _That he'd welcome you with open arms? He hates you and that will NEVER change! How could you delude yourself enough to actually be stupid enough to think otherwise? _He agreed whole-heartedly with the voice. How could he have thought that Snape would treat him otherwise? He really was an idiot. Vernon really was right. Darian swallowed the rising lump in his throat. He didn't deserve to live. He was nothing but a stupid, worthless, waste of space, an unwanted freak of natu- "Can I please go to the bathroom?" he heard himself whisper in a strained voice. Poppy looked quite surprised though still a little dazed from Snape's words.

"Darian, I don't think you're well enough..." Poppy trailed off as she stared at his pleading expression. "You cannot put any strain on your back, do you hear me?" she told him sternly. Darian nodded wordlessly. He slowly got up and, with the help of Poppy, made his way to the bathroom. He didn't even glance his father's way.

Once Darian was in the privacy of the bathroom he simply stood there, leaning up against the sink as he tried to regain control of his breathing, which was faster then normal, courtesy of his father. He could hear Poppy screaming at his father clearly due to his enhanced hearing. Trying desperately to ignore it, Darian slowly made his way to the toilet. He sat down on the seat of it, simply trying to enjoy this rare moment of solitude.

Closing his eyes once again, he reached up to rub his tired and in some ways wizened eyes, worn out from all the things they had been forced to see. The only bright thing in his life seemed to be his friends, which wasn't much anymore since he couldn't see them as much as usual and the small fact that he felt isolated from them, after all, they weren't of the same race anymore. Remus was the only one who understood him, understood what he was going through. But what was the point? If all he and Remus ever did was fight during the full moon then that was even worse then not having anyone at all. He hated his life so much. He had hated it ever since the end of his fourth year. The constant, plaguing question of 'Why me?' always seemed to run through his head followed by the mental scolding of feeling sorry for himself. He didn't even want to be pitied by himself; it was pathetic. He wanted so much to come to a conclusion for his pain and suffering and it all seemed to come down to one thing, the one thing that he probably would have done already had it not been for Sirius's return.

He didn't want to live anymore.

Hands shaking, Darian stood and leaned against the sink again as he desperately searched the cabinet for something, anything to end his pain. Finding no razor, Darian instead focused his attention on a large vial that he had found under the sink.

It was filled with light purple liquid about halfway and there was a label on it that read, 'Poppy Pomfrey. Take one teaspoon before dinner each night.' Darian frowned in curiosity as he rolled the vial in his hands, looking for another label that might tell him what the medicine was for. Finding none, he decided on figuring that it must be for something serious since it was prescribed. He shrugged; he really didn't care what it was. Smiling to himself he took out the stopper, his suffering would finally be over, he would get to his mother and his FATHER, not James Potter, his mother's husband, James Potter, his father, the father that had actually loved him. Without hesitation, the beaten and in some ways broken boy downed the entire unknown potion in twelve large gulps.

Darian cringed as he swallowed the last of the potion, feeling a mild satisfaction that he had finally been brave enough to do this. For a couple minutes, nothing happened and Darian got slightly worried that the potion wouldn't do anything to him. Then all of the sudden, he felt light-headed. The world started to spin and Darian found himself swaying. His vision blurred and his head exploded in pain. He dimly heard the empty vial shatter against the floor as it fell from suddenly numb fingers. Tears of torment fell from Darian's eyes but he kept repeating to himself, 'It will all be over soon.' His knees gave way and the pain in his head was reduced to a dull ache. Darian hit the wall roughly and he suppressed a cry of pain as his back screamed out in agony. He was sliding down to sitting position in front of the wall that was farthest away from the door.

A slow smile crept its way onto the boy's face as his head lolled lifelessly against his shoulder. Then, the emerald green eyes that had once held so much life and innocence before they had been scarred for life glazed, making them look empty.

The last thing Darian saw was a blurry figure hurrying over to him before his beautiful green eyes dulled and the sparkle of life that had once resided there flickered and faded away completely.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Severus sat stiffly as he listened to Poppy yell at him for what he had said to Darian. He really wasn't even listening to her, merely nodding every once and a while and having the grace to look ashamed and apologetic. He really hadn't meant to say that to the boy though. But what was done was done and he wasn't about to take them back. His words had been harsh and very immoral he knew that. And he hadn't missed the look of absolute devastation on the boy's face either no matter how much the boy had tried to avoid looking him in the eyes. He had never known that his opinion of the boy would have affected the boy so much. He thought that the boy hated him. The look on the boy's face would suggest otherwise though.

Severus was torn out of his thoughts when Poppy screamed, "You have been through the same treatment as he! How could you mock him about it when you know exactly how it feels to be mistreated like that!" Severus's face darkened at the woman's words as he was forced to remember his own childhood.

He opened his mouth to yell at her for the first time during this entire yelling match when something in the back of his mind flickered persistently. He scowled, fully intending on ignoring it only to have the feeling grow alarmingly until it was almost like an itch he couldn't reach. Something was wrong, very wrong but what? His black eyes darted around the wing taking in every detail; they came to rest on the bathroom door where Darian had yet to come out.

"Severus?" came Poppy's concerned voice. "What is wrong?"

Snape shook his head as he stared at the door. Why would he be thinking of the boy at a time like this? The sound of shattering glass, dimmed by the door met his ears and the man was up in an instant, banging on the door.

There was no answer and, without hesitation, Severus opened the door.

What he saw would probably be branded into his mind for forever. As soon as he opened the door, he backed out immediately, feeling ready to retch. He backed out with his hand over his mouth and suddenly felt very sick. Poppy gave a scream and dashed into the bathroom, trying to rouse Darian but Severus knew that there really was no use.

After regaining his bearings, he slowly walked back into the bathroom and stared at the pale form that was his once headstrong son.

At first glance, one would immediately say that the boy was dead due to his unhealthy pale state. His skin was almost as white as Voldemort's, it looked and was tinged with a slight grayish color. Darian's eyes were half-open and his emerald eyes looked blank and lifeless as they stared up at Severus accusingly. The boy's legs were splayed out carelessly and his arms were folded in his lap neatly and it suddenly became clear to Severus that Darian had meant to do this.

He felt bile rise up in his throat once again but didn't back down. The annoying voice in the back of his head kept taunting him, constantly yelling out, "This is all your fault!" And no matter how much Severus tried, the voice wouldn't be silenced, probably because what it said was true.

Severus suddenly felt guilt weigh heavily over him like never before. He wanted to yell and scream and hit something really bad, anything to get the annoying feeling of guilt out of him. Everything that he had said to hurt Darian seemed to pile up and the guilt hit him all at once like a tidal wave.

How could he have done this? Sure he disliked the boy but honestly! To drive a sixteen-year-old boy to the brink where he thought there was no way out? How many other students felt like this because of what he had said to them? Had some honestly thought of suicide triggered by what he had said to them? That thought made Severus's head hurt as he remembered when he himself had attempted suicide and had it not been for Dumbledore and Lily, he probably would have succeeded. But this boy, his son, he had friends! He wasn't some large-nosed, pale boy with greasy hair who was always made fun of and hated by more then half the student population, no. So many people loved him; he had so many friends who really loved him for him. Like Granger and Weasley, why they hadn't even thought of abandoning Darian when they found out about his true parentage. They had stuck by his side, just like Severus thought they would. Why would Darian even think of doing something like this when he had friends like those?

"It's because of you," the voice hissed to him again. "You are to blame. You and your stupid grudge for James Potter." Severus closed his eyes briefly and agreed with the voice. It was his fault. The boy had seemed just fine until he had said those things to him. How could he have said something that cold hearted? He knew what it was like to be abused. He knew what it was like to feel helpless and weak. And Severus knew that even James Potter and his little friends wouldn't have mocked him had they found out that he was abused. He looked down at the pale boy once again, forcing himself to see what he had done to the boy. They were so much alike, the boy and he. Severus had always been focussed on how different they were and it seemed to him that Darian had always had the positive differences. But now, he realized that they did have similarities. What scared Severus the most was that it had almost cost him his son's life to see this.

"Severus!" Poppy screamed desperately from where she was cradling Darian's lifeless form. "Help me get him to a bed! We need to get the headmaster!"

Severus stared at her and backed away, shaking his head. How could she expect him to even touch the boy after all that he had done to him? Severus felt like if he touched Darian, then the boy would whither up and die altogether.

"Severus, stop being so stubborn!" Poppy now looked furious. "If we don't get him treated then he will die! Do you realize that? He will **die**!"

Severus eyed the boy's limp form and slowly took a step forward, stooping down so he was level with Poppy and Darian.

"Help me lift him, come on," Poppy commanded as she wrapped her arms around Darian's chest.

"Why can't you just use magic?" His voice sounded weak and desperate to his own ears.

"Honestly, Severus! What has gotten into you!" Poppy snapped as they lifted Darian. "You know that magic could just make it worse! We don't even know what he did to himself!"

They carefully and gently laid the boy on his bed and Poppy hurried into her office to get a needle to draw blood with so she could tests while Severus stayed where he was, lost in a daze again.

"Severus!" Poppy's voice snapped him out of his thoughts once again and he looked up from staring at Darian. "What are you waiting for? Go get the headmaster!"

Severus nodded and all but fled from the room. He felt his guilt melt into horror. When Dumbledore found out the reason why Darian had tried to kill himself he would hate him. Well, maybe not hate him, but he wouldn't trust him anymore, not to mention that he would be more then disappointed in him. Severus stopped for a moment. Dumbledore had been the only one there for him after Lily had died. The man was like a father to him and the thought of Dumbledore being disappointed in him seemed to be one of the worst punishments in the world. After all, Dumbledore was about the only person who trusted him and Severus didn't want to squander that.

"It's to late," the voice snarled again. "What's done is done and you have to face the consequences of your actions."

As he rounded the corner, Dumbledore nearly knocked him over as he strode around the corner.

"Headmaster...." Severus began as he quickly stood up. "he-"

"It's Darian isn't it?" Dumbledore interrupted, sounding slightly panicked. "He's actually done it hasn't he?"

Severus nodded wordlessly; not needing to know what Dumbledore was talking about to understand. Dumbledore swept past him without a word and Severus stood there for a moment before turning around and hurrying after his mentor.

() How was it? Good? Bad? Please review and tell me!!!


	14. Chapter fourteen Conversations with Pott...

Hey! Thanks once again to all my reviewers! The next chapter is probably half way done so it'll be out pretty soon.

Okay, not much to say except thanks to my beta, badbugz once again!

Chapter fourteen- Conversations with Potter

"_Not another one....."_

_Darian blinked in confusion as he swiveled his head around to gaze at his surroundings. He was standing at the front of a long line and a large desk with a man the size of Hagrid sitting in it was in front of him. The man was looking quite frazzled; frankly, his beard looked like a hippogriff had nested in it._

_The giant looked oddly familiar and with a start, Darian realized that the large man was the same man from the vision he had had at the beginning of the year with Sirius in. Did that mean he was dead?_

_Darian stared at the man curiously before realizing that it was the giant that had spoken. He cleared his throat politely._

"_Excuse me?" his voice sounded slightly different as it seemed to echo across the vast room and he felt light-headed, as if he were in a dream of some sort. _

_The giant jumped slightly in surprise, obviously intending to keep that comment to himself. _

"_Harry Potter I presume?" he repeated in a harassed voice._

_Darian nodded unconsciously before his hands flew up to his forehead in confusion. How could the man have known who he was? His scare was hidden wasn't it?_

_The giant chuckled. "Nothing is hidden in this place, Harry, or should I say Darian Snape?" Darian, feeling slightly dazed, shrugged in response. "Am I dead?" he blurted out. _

_The man busied himself with scanning over a paper that was as long as Darian's firebolt. "Mistakes are getting more frequent these days...." He muttered to himself as he reached up a large hand to rub his eyes tiredly. "I really need to hire some younger spirits, this is ridiculous...."_

_Darian shifted uncomfortably, feeling as if he was intruding on something. He nervously looked back behind him at the chattering crowd of............not only humans, but creatures as well. He could easily distinguish a small group of veelas, who were looking quite sour. He shifted again, this time feeling like he was holding up the line. He looked back up when the giant began to speak again._

"_Two mistakes in the last.......how long has it been? Three centuries? Horrible...absolutely horrible," he continued to mutter nonsense until he looked back at Darian. "Or maybe it's just this war that is going on...."_

"_Am I dead?" Darian repeated, sounding slightly impatient. _

"_Technically, no, you just don't exist," the giant mumbled absently. Darian frowned in confusion; was that even possible?_

"_Excuse me, sir but we are starting to pile up back there," a blue man with a clipboard said as he ran over to where Darian was standing. He gave a small bow to the giant. _

"_Is there a problem, sir?"_

"_No, no, none, just...just....hold on," he snapped impatiently. "You there, Harry Potter-"_

"_Darian," Darian corrected quietly._

"_Whatever," the man mumbled. "Go and.......go wait in that room over there, there's someone that you'll probably be interested in seeing," His voice took on a particularly stern tone and Darian hurried over through a door. This room was quite smaller then the previous. It looked like a muggle bus station with all the benches that crowded the middle and corners of it. Various creatures were waiting patiently for something while reading what looked like, the Daily Prophet, or murmuring incessantly among one another._

_There were only a couple of wizards. One in particular caught Darian's eye. The wizard looked to be about twenty to twenty-five and had messy black hair and wire-rim, round glasses that Darien had been so accustomed to in his "previous" life. _

_It was James Potter._

_Darian's eyes widened at the man he had believed to be his father for the last sixteen years. James was also holding a copy of the Daily Prophet. He was sitting on a bench by himself and was facing Darian. _

_Darian waited with bated breath, as if expecting the man to say something. After a couple minutes, Darian realized that he was getting a strange look from a vampire that was seated in a bench to the left of him. Darian felt himself go red as he slowly made his way over to James's bench, his legs feeling like lead. _

_James glanced up at him briefly before returning to his paper. All of the sudden, he started chuckling quietly to himself. Darian blinked and froze in place, which was almost directly in front of James._

"_Lily is going to have a stroke when she sees you here," James sighed as he shook his head, his laughter quickly fading away._

"_Y-you recognize me?" _

"_Of course I do," James replied airily as he folded his paper and set it down beside him. "You think we haven't been watching you? Lily's been in a panic a few times you know. Worrying about you and all. If she wasn't already dead then I'd say she'd probably die from worry."_

_Darian felt a twinge of guilt in his heart. _

"_Well it's not your fault," James said to him as he ran a hand through his messy hair, eyeing Darian up and down._

"_Yep, you're Snivellus's child alright, much as I hate to admit it," James sneered. "I need to knock some sense into the idiot's head, he doesn't even realize how good he's got it and he's about to blow it all."_

_Darian frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"_

"_What do I mean?" James repeated incredulously. "I'm talking about you, Harry, he doesn't realize how lucky he is to be able to see you, talk to you, and be there for you. And I bet if he knew how many times I've wished I were in his place then he'd learn to appreciate his time with you more."_

"_You mean you don't mind that I'm his child? But I thought you hated him."_

"_You learn to appreciate things more when you are up here," James replied quietly as he stared at Darian before standing up. "Now, let me have a good look at you." He circled around Darian slowly before smirking. "Yep, you are Lily and Snape's son alright. An idiot wouldn't be able to miss it."_

_Darian automatically reached up a hand to flatten his bangs over his forehead and James smiled. "But you still have Lily's eyes, and her personally, the two best things about her." Darian felt his lips twitch slightly at the man's statement._

"_Are you surprised that I'm here?" Darian asked quietly._

"_Well, Lily and I have been watching you for quite a while now. I cannot believe that you actually attempted it, Harry," James looked saddened. "Why would you throw something away as precious as life?"_

_Darian swallowed a rising lump in his throat. He felt horrible, not because of what he had done, but because he was glad that he had done it. He still was._

"_You don't know how good you have it either," James said softly and Darian felt anger surge inside him. "Yeah? Well what do you know about my life? You may have watched me grow up but do you know what I've felt for the past fifteen years? Do you know what its like to never know what love is, to only see love from a third person's view?!" It took him a moment to realize that he had been yelling._

_James sighed and shook his head. "I know that you have been through a lot but suicide wasn't the answer. Lily about had a heart attack when she saw you do it and you better be glad that she's not down here." He paused for a moment and glanced cautiously to a door at the far end of the room before continuing. "It may seem like there was nothing to live for and it may seem like the easiest thing to do but think of all the things you would be missing."_

_Darian remained silent as he glared at James._

"_You would never grow up, you would never get married, and you would never have children, and watch them grow. Think of it, Harry, think of all the future generations that would never get a chance to even exist because you wanted to take the easy way out."_

_Darian scowled, "Well I'm never going to get to do any of that stuff anyways."_

_James arched an eyebrow, "Why not? Just because of that prophecy? It didn't say that you were going to die-"_

"_But in order to live, I have to become a murderer," Darian interrupted, his voice no louder then a whisper. "I could never kill anyone intentionally."_

"_You just about did when you tried to kill yourself," James said hotly. "Suicide is exactly like murder, except you are doing it to yourself."_

_When Darian remained silent James huffed. "Well at least think of your friends and family. If you commit suicide then you have already doomed them. You are the only one who can defeat Voldemort and if you die like this, then you guarantee his victory, you guarantee him the world. Do you want that Harry? Do you want Hermione to be tortured and killed just because she's a muggle-born? Do you want Ron to become a slave for someone like Draco Malfoy?"_

_Darian closed his eyes briefly as he thought of Ron and Hermione. Hermione....... The image of their smiling faces came into his mind. He winced, he hadn't thought of them before. How could he have been so selfish? He hadn't even thought of what their reaction would have been to his death. He remembered Remus telling him what Ron and Hermione's reaction had been when they had really thought he was dead. He remembered Ron and Hermione's reaction in the Great Hall, after Dumbledore's announcement of 'Harry Potter's' death, even if they had been acting, they had looked absolutely devastated. Would they have been able to deal with his death? Ron was his best friend and Hermione..........she was also very special to him. How could he have not considered their feelings? Was he really that selfish? _

"_Didn't think of that did you, Harry?" James asked and his gaze softened slightly as Darian turned away._

"_So is that why you came down to meet me?" Darian asked in a shaking voice. "To badger me about what I did? Thanks, it really helps a lot."_

"_Don't talk like that," James made a sour face. "You sound like your father."_

_Darian sneered. _

"_You look like him to when you do that."_

_Darian quickly stopped._

"_I didn't come here to badger you, Harry," James explained. "I came here to help you change your decision and to help you realize that what you did wasn't the best decision. You may have had a difficult life. Everyone has their own problems, even if your is more difficult then the average person (Darian snorted), you need to heal and become stronger." He paused to run a hand through his hair. "Much as I hate to say it, there is more to Snive.....Snape that meets the eye."_

_Darian turned back around, his brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"_

"_Lets just say that you and Snape have more in common then you might think. Especially when it comes to the childhood you two have had."_

"_So," Darian began disbelievingly, "you are saying that Snape was abused too?" His voice was laced with shock._

_James nodded slowly. "You have more in common then that, Harry." He gave Darian a small smile. "But don't tell him I told you."_

"_Like he'd believe me," Darian muttered. "How long have you known? About Snape I mean?"_

"_You learn a lot when you've been up here for as long as I have," James responded. He looked at his watch, which to Darian's surprise, was muggle._

"_Your time is almost up. You will be returning soon," James sighed heavily and looked up at Darian. "It has been a real pleasure meeting you again, Harry......Darian." He smiled and gave him a brief hug. "And Lily sends her love. We're both proud of you and we would never blame you for our deaths. So stop blaming yourself." _

_Darian stood there, frozen in spot. The warmth from James's hug made him feel slightly saddened. In the short time that Darian had spent with his step-father, he had learned that James actually had changed from the cocky, big-headed boy that Darian had seen in Snape's pensive. It made him happy to see that Remus and Sirius had been right, that James had mellowed out and finally matured. He knew from the short time that they had spent together, that had James been alive, they probably would have gotten along rather well. He was actually going to miss that man that he had once called his father._

_Numbly, he nodded. James grinned and said, "Tell Snivellus to stop being an ass-hole or Lily and I will give him hell when his time is up." The cocky smile appeared on the man's face, making him look almost like a child once again. _

_Darian blinked rapidly, feeling hot tears slowly make their way down his cheeks. The smiling face seemed to be fading, everything blurring together, he was going back......._

_Voices....... _

"I think he's coming to."

_Who?_

"Darian? Can you here me, honey?"

_Oh, it was him. Was he dead? _

"He's not responding......"

_But....no. He didn't want to be dead._

"Give him some time."

At least not anymore. What about Ron? And Hermione? What would they think if they found out he was dead?

"It's been a week; how much more time could he need?"

_It was all his fault......_

"He has been in a coma and is very lucky that he isn't dead. Give. Him. Some. Time."

If he hadn't been so selfish.......

"It's my fault. If only I hadn't put so much pressure on him with the prophecy."

NO. He didn't want to be dead.

"It is not your fault, Albus."

He wanted to live. He wanted to defeat Voldemort.

"Thank you, Poppy."

He wanted to go back. HE WANTED TO GO BACK.

Sleepy green eyes slowly opened before closing once again. One eye cautiously peeked open again before the other joined its counterpart.

It was dark but do to his enhanced sight; he could see a couple of silhouettes close to his bed. He strained his ears and could easily make out three distinct sounds of breathing besides his own. Cautiously, he sat up; his back screamed in protest, making him flop back down heavily on the bed.

It was then that he realized that one of the sounds of breathing was considerably faster then that of the other two. He tensed, waiting for the person to make himself or herself known. When they didn't, he grew slightly impatient and sniffed intolerantly through his nose. Instantly, different scents filled his nostrils and his eyes widened at the information the scents seemed to give him. He could easily tell that the three were Remus, Dumbledore, and Madame Pomfrey. It amazed him of how easily he could tell whose scent was whose and he grew slightly interested in this 'new power.' He supposed that being a werewolf did have its perks.

Dumbledore was the one that was awake; he was the one that was breathing faster then the others.

"I see that you, like many others, have found the advantages of being a werewolf?" Dumbledore's amused voice sounded from right where Darian was looking at.

He didn't respond as he tried to get his withered brain to remember what had happened in the Gateway between Heaven and Hell.

Yes. He had met James Potter and they had talked.

Darian shivered, suddenly feeling very cold. The warmth of James's hug lingered for only a few moments, in memory, before fading away. He wrapped his arms around himself.

"I see that you have met one James Potter," Dumbledore commented wisely.

Darian blinked in confusion for a moment before he remembered Occlumency. He scowled and tried to block his mind, without much success.

"Ah, Darian," Dumbledore smiled. "You have nothing to hide from me."

Darian said nothing.

"I noticed that you have realized the consequences of your actions? You have not only almost killed yourself, but also put your father, Remus, Sirius, Poppy, and I in a rather large complication," Dumbledore stated quietly. "And we are not sure what to do about it."

Darian swallowed and looked down at his hands, "Y-you're not going to lock me up are you?" His voice sounded so small, even to his own ears and he saw Dumbledore's gaze soften. "Of course we aren't, Darian. We would never do something as cruel as that." The old man paused for a moment. "But we do need to do something about this. You have just lost the trust of many people, Darian and even though I am sure that you have learnt your lesson, no one is going to trust you alone anymore. I hope you realize that."

"Do Ron and Hermione know?" Darian whispered softly. Dumbledore looked at him for a couple of moments. "I'm afraid so," he finally muttered.

Darian's eyes widened and he felt fury wash over him. "Why? Why did you tell them? If I wanted them to know then it was _my_ business and decision to do so."

"Calm down, child," Dumbledore chided quietly. "We did not nor would we ever tell them anything without your consent. Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley were apparently very worried about your sudden placement in the Hospital Wing so they took it upon themselves to sneak in here a couple nights ago." Dumbledore's lips twitched. "You have some very good friends, Darian."

"I know," Darian mumbled as he stared down at his hands guiltily.

Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Darian. You have made a mistake, as do we all, and you have learned from that mistake, which is the most important part of it all."

Darian nodded hesitantly, all of the sudden wanting to see Hermione.

"Your father has been very worried," Dumbledore commented idly, brushing some invisible dust off the sleeve of his robes. He glanced over at Darian's interested expression. "No he hasn't," the boy replied. "You're just saying that to make me forgive him for what he said."

"I am not asking you to forgive him. What Severus said was vicious and cruel, he had absolutely no right to say that and I am sure that he feels very guilty for doing so but he hasn't had very much love in his life, not since Lily died," Dumbledore's gaze saddened. "Severus had nothing left after she passed away and there were many times where he had attempted what you just did," he eyed Darian, waiting for his reaction.

"He.......tried to kill himself?"

"I'm afraid so and that wouldn't have been the first time, though that is not my story to share. I fear that had I not been there, he probably would have succeeded in doing so."

Darian stared at Dumbledore. He thought of Snape, sneering and spitting words that dripped with venom, hatred reflecting in those cold black eyes, loathing etched on his face. It seemed impossible that someone that stubborn, that..........._headstrong _could even possibly be weak and stupid enough to try what Darian had. But then he remembered back to when he had looked into Snape's pensive and when he had accidentally seen some of Snape's memories. The man had had such a bad childhood, he had been clearly unpopular and hated my most of the student population and his parents had fought with each other many times. Darian's heart gave a twinge as he remembered the small child crying in a corner while his father yelled at his cowering mother. It seemed impossible to think that that same child would grow into a ruthless, cold-hearted man who hated almost any child, even his own.

Darian's pain must have reflected on his face as Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder.

"You both are more alike then you thought."

He swallowed and blinked rapidly before saying quietly, "So you did come here to get me to forgive him?"

"I am merely stating the truth, which was that he was worried about you. Get some rest, Darian," Dumbledore said before giving his shoulder a small squeeze and leaving the Hospital Wing.

Darian stared after his retreating back for a couple of moments, trying to comprehend what Dumbledore had just said. Snape......worried about him? The thought seemed impossible, more then impossible; it sounded absolutely insane. But even Snape had to have a heart right? Of course he did and even the coldest people, like Snape, would have to feel guilty if they had said something horrible like that to their child.

Still, Darian thought of Snape's words. _You are nothing special._ The hatred and venom that were twisted into them, the absolute loathing in those eyes, the look of fury on his face....... Snape had meant it, Darian knew that. Snape had meant every word that he had said maybe just not in the way he said it.

But that didn't make sense either.

Darian huffed, reaching a hand up to massage his forehead, which was aching. He really didn't want to think about Snape, at least not right at this moment. He needed to relax and stop thinking for once. Darian adjusted himself before closing his eyes and falling asleep instantly.

Snape poured himself another glass of whiskey, downing the glass entirely as soon as he set the now empty bottle down. This would be the fifth time he had drank himself into a stupor since Darian had fallen into a coma by means of trying to commit suicide.

And it was all his fault.

He had done that to his son; he had driven his son to suicide. It was his fault.

He had visited his son at least two times a day. Well, not really _visiting_ but at times, before lunch or after dinner, Severus would find himself standing helplessly in the doorway of the Hospital Wing, staring at the unmoving, pale form as if expecting, hoping to see those green eyes open up once again, to see them filled with life instead of the blank emptiness they had retained since that day. Maybe he cared, or maybe it was because he wanted to assure himself that he hadn't driven someone to suicide; to assure himself that he wasn't responsible for yet another death. Whatever the cause, he wanted the boy to live, for him to be alive, to see his eyes open again, to see him moving and full of life once again. And he'd try this time to, he'd try to be at least civil to this boy, he'd _try_. If not because he cared, then to rid himself of the plaguing guilt that weighed heavily upon his conscience.

Snape blinked, reaching a hand up to rub his eyes tiredly before realizing that he was standing in front of the Hospital Wing.....again. He scowled and turned to go back to the comfort of his dungeons but something in the back of his mind was nagging at him to stay, to go inside and see the boy. It was the same feeling as _that_ day in the Hospital Wing, when Poppy had been screaming at him. Still scowling, he regretfully walked into the sterile room.

His eyes immediately scoured the room for the familiar pale form of his son. He spotted the boy in his usual bed with the curtains wide-open, allowing sunshine to pour freely into the room. Snape blinked again, reaching up a hand to block the blinding sunlight. It was morning already? Then what did that make today? Sunday? Saturday? Hell he didn't know and frankly, he really didn't care either.

Darian was curled into a small ball, his knees drawn up to his chest with his arms wrapped tightly around them. Snape crept silently down and sat in a chair beside the boy's bed. He stared absently at Darian for a few minutes before the boy groaned and stirred. Snape watched him curiously. Strange. The boy hadn't moved in his sleep before.

Seconds later, Darian's eyes fluttered open and he yawned as he made to stretch, only to immediately stop with a grimace of pain. Snape about jumped out of his skin.

"You're awake," was all he said, to surprised to say anything else. Darian blinked to clear his vision and shrank back a little away from Snape.

"Er....yeah?" the statement came out as more of a question as he eyed the man before him cautiously.

There was an uncomfortable silence as both tried to avoid looking at the other. Finally, Snape stood and cleared his throat slightly. "Well.....I should inform Poppy and the headmaster..."

"They already know," Darian blurted out before realizing that he had missed his chance to get rid of Snape. He immediately shut his mouth with an audible snap.

Snape arched an eyebrow in surprise.

"I....er...woke up last night."

"Oh..."

Another silence followed and Snape made to go to the door before surprising himself by sitting back down. Darian was also surprised, not only by the fact that Snape hadn't blown up on him, but also because the man was still here. Darian had thought that Snape hated him and couldn't stand to be around him anymore.

"Why did you do it?" Snape asked before he could bite his tongue. He _had_ to know. He had to know if it was his fault that Darian had almost killed himself, he _had_ to. He quickly found himself looking into those familiar emerald eyes that were staring at him with caution. Caution......fear.....fear of being shouted at again; fear of being hit, mentally and physically, of hearing once again that he was nothing but a worthless waste of space. Snape couldn't stand that look in those green eyes. He suddenly wanted to go, to stand up and run away from those green eyes, laced with fear and pain. Heh. Run. He was nothing but a coward....

Darian swallowed the rising lump in his throat before saying in a raspy voice, "I....I've been wanting to for...for years... It just seemed like a good idea at the moment," he caught himself; he had no idea why he had told Snape, of all people, that. But it felt good; it felt good to tell someone that he had been longing to do that for years, even if it was Snape. It made him feel less guilty and less....insane.

Snape stared at the boy. _He had been wanting to kill himself for years? But, no, that is impossible. He is Harry Potter. He is loved and cherished by all; he has friends who love him._ Snape avoided the green eyes that were staring curiously at his troubled expression; he instead looked at his hands as he uttered one word,

"Why?"

Darian shook his head slowly. "You wouldn't understand," he said, his voice barely above that of a whisper.

Snape narrowed his eyes, feeling the old annoyance rise up. "Try me," he commanded in a not-so-pleasant-voice.

The boy seemed to whither under his harsh glare. Darian remembered what James had told him about Snape, that the man had tried to commit suicide also.

Maybe Snape did know what it felt like; maybe he did understand.

"I...." He began, but faltered as Hermione's face suddenly popped into his mind. "I.....want to see Hermione," he finished lamely and Snape scowled at him before standing up quickly.

"Fine, Mr. Snape," he snapped. "Whatever you want," his voice was dripping with venom and sarcasm as he glared down at Darian, who seemed to shrink back into the bed. He swept over to the door to the Hospital Wing before adding snidely, "I don't know why I even bothered."

Darian stared after his retreated back with a mortified expression. Okay, now he knew that this was his fault. It had been obvious that Snape was trying to be civil or even comforting and he, Darian, just had to go and mess that up by changing the subject. _But it's not your fault_ said a tiny voice in the back of his head. _You don't have to tell him everything and you really wanted to see Hermione. It wasn't as if you were lying or anything._ Darian didn't know whether to agree or disagree with the voice. He decided on both. Maybe he shouldn't have changed the subject so bluntly but he didn't have to tell Snape anything if he didn't want to, right? Right? Right. And with that thought, Darian flung himself back down onto his bed, closing his eyes though not falling asleep. His jumbled thoughts seemed to keep him awake, plus he was hungry and there is no way that someone can sleep with an empty stomach and a full mind, as quoted from a book called _Charlotte's Web_ that he had read when he was younger.

Instead, Darian tried on merely closing his eyes and focusing on seeing Hermione.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Unknown by Darian, Snape was pacing furiously right outside the Hospital Wing door, also trying to make sense of his own jumbled up thoughts.

Snape stopped his pacing and sighed softly before leaning up against the Wing door and slowly sliding down to sitting position, reaching his hands up to rub his eyes tiredly. Why did he always have to screw things up? Just because the boy didn't want to talk about the abuse he had suffered didn't give he, Severus, a right to snap at him. Why couldn't he just forget about the hatred he held for the boy for just one minute? Why? Was he cursed? Was this his punishment for all the sins he had committed?

Needless to say, he was going to need to open another bottle of whiskey.


	15. Chapter fifteen Recovery

Hey everyone! I cannot tell you how sorry I am! I have like two other chapters done, seriously but I never can get on a computer. I started Driver's Ed (which is the most BORING class) a week ago and get home about the time that the library closes.

Anyway, sorry again.

ALSO PLEASE READ! I'm sure many of you have read the wonderful story 'A Year Like No Other'. Anyway, disabled the story because of to low of a rating and if you could, please take the time to send an e-mail to about that. Thanks!

Chapter fifteen- Recovery

"I just don't know why he would want to do something like that," Ron said for the fifth time as he paced in front of the roaring fire. Hermione sat curled up on the couch, clutching a pillow. She stared into the fire as if hypnotized and the flames reflected off her brown eyes, making them look slightly glazed in thought. They were both in the Room of Requirement; they seemed to be taken to it since they had found out about Darian's attempt.

Hermione said nothing as she continued to stare into the fire.

"I mean he has everything!" Ron burst out. "He has friends, wealth, fame….what more could he want?"

This time Hermione spoke up, "Maybe a family that loves him?" She glared at the redhead. "Could you even imagine what it must have been like for him at the Dursley's? Do you remember how bad they treat him? And then we just found out this year that he has been abused! How can you even say something like that?"

Ron paled slightly and scoffed his feet absently. "I…er….forgot…?" He muttered lamely. Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes. "Neither you or I know what it would be like to be abused. He has just recently found out that he has a father whom hates him-" she broke off, her eyes suddenly going very wide in realization. "Oh Merlin, why didn't I see it before?" she slumped down into the couch dejectedly. "I could have prevented it! I could have _helped_ him! I mean, it was obvious that he'd try something like this! It always seems to happen to him. Why him? Why is it always him?" she glanced up at Ron to see if he was following her.

The redhead sat down beside her. "Hey, you didn't know for sure, I mean, no one could have predicted that he would try to…." He trailed off. "But _I_ should have known!" Hermione burst out. "I'm the one that always spots the most obvious things, I should have known…… Especially after the full moon…he must have been absolutely shocked by the pain and I told him that we would be there when he woke up but we weren't and that probably made it worse or he probably thought that we had forgotten about him or-" She didn't realize that she was babbling.

"Hermione!" Ron shook her by the shoulders a bit. "Calm down, you're going to have a seizure."

She nodded absently before drawing her knees up to her chest and staring into the fire pensively once again. Ron also sat back before blinking in confusion at what Hermione had just said.

"What are you talking about?"

Hermione blinked out of her daze and stared at Ron. "What do you mean?"

"You said something about the full moon and Darian being in a lot of pain. Why was he in the Hospital Wing? You're hiding something aren't you?" he narrowed his eyes accusingly. Hermione mentally smacked herself. For someone who was very intelligent, she sure was pretty stupid at times.

"Um….Well," Hermione began, her brain worked in full gear as she tried to think of a legible excuse. "There….there was an accident."

Ron blinked. "What kind of accident? Where?"

"Well," Hermione struggled. "He was…serving detention with..with….Proffesor Snape and they were making a potion and…it exploded…?" She prayed that Ron would believe her, at least until she could talk with Darian again.

Ron's brows furrowed before he nodded slowly. "Oh," was all he said before he let the subject drop.

Hermione mentally sighed in relief as she returned to staring at the fire again. _It's a good thing that Ron is so dense at times,_ she mused to herself before returning into her dazed state again.

&&&&&&&&&&&

The next morning dawned bright and cheery in contrast to Darian's mood. Since it was Sunday, all the students were out of classes for the day when he was released from the Hospital Wing. Some students were outside, trying to enjoy their last days of warmth while others, namely the Ravenclaws, chose to stay inside and brush up on their studying, and finally some students were merely wandering aimlessly through the castle, or playing a game of Wizard Chess in their common room.

Darian was to be with another person at all times; he was never to be alone. He found the new rule for him annoying not only because he felt as if people were treading on thin ice around him again, but he felt closed in and trapped under the watchful eyes of another. He left the Hospital Wing with Hermione, who had gotten up early to see him for the first time since his attempt. She had practically been in tears and was constantly asking the same plaguing question that not only her, but the staff as well as Ron was wondering: Why? Darian really couldn't answer that question; he knew she wouldn't understand. He tried to tell her that he was okay now, that he wasn't going to try something as stupid as that again. She, like everyone else, didn't believe him and insisted on staying with him. Darian really couldn't blame her; if her or Ron had tried to kill themselves then Darian would want to stay by their side continuously also. But what he said was the truth. He never wanted to see the disappointment on Dumbledore's face again, never wanted to see the uncertainty in Snape's eyes again. But most of all, he never wanted to cause his mother and James such distress nor did he want to see the absolute pity and sorrow in Hermione's eyes as she cried because of him when she shouldn't be; he wasn't worth it. Though he kept saying to himself that he would never try to take his own life again, he couldn't guarantee it. It wasn't as if he suddenly felt okay and felt as if everything was good in the world, no. He still hated his life but he started to realize the good things in his life to. Like Ron and Hermione. And the fact that Sirius is alive and well. And the fact that he's normal, that he is looked upon as a normal boy instead of the Boy Who Lived, and even though Darian knew that Dumbledore was disappointed in him, he could see in the headmaster's wizened eyes that the older wizard had known that a valuable lesson had been learned despite the sacrifice it took to be taught. Darian knew that he would never take anything, such as Ron or Hermione, or Sirius being alive, for granted.

Darian was grateful that he didn't have blabbermouths for friends. He limped into the Hall, still trying to get used to the cane he now had to walk with, as normal looking as one could be and sat down at the Ravenclaw table. Only about two people glanced up, obviously curious about why he was walking with a cane, but they lost interest quickly, after all, he wasn't anyone special. No one even knew of what he had attempted. There were no pointing or whispering or pitying looks from the hundreds of students and for that, Darian was grateful.

Hermione sat down beside him and a moment later, Ron did too. Only a couple Ravenclaws glanced up at the two Gryffindors or gave them a strange look before returning to their studies. At least the Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors were on good terms. The Ravenclaws seemed to be on good terms with all the houses, actually. The Slytherins really didn't mind them; they thought of the house as the only house worthy enough for their presences, most likely because of their brains. Darian felt a smirk tugging at his lips as he spotted Draco Malfoy's horrified look when none of the Ravenclaws protested to Ron or Hermione's presence.

"Werf 'u been, 'Arian?" Lisa asked through a mouthful of mashed potato from across the table. Ron grinned in approval before stuffing his face also. Hermione and Darian exchanged amused looks.

"Hospital Wing," he answered quietly, shifting uncomfortably. He suddenly felt as if he wasn't welcome; his eyes darted around the four house tables staring at the laughing and chattering students. His eyes scanned the teacher's table and he noticed that Dumbledore as well as Remus (who had been told before Darian had been released) were watching him out of the corner of their eyes. He shifted under their watchful gazes. He glanced back at the students and suddenly felt separated from them, as if he didn't belong with them anymore. It was a familiar feeling; he had felt this way ever since the end of his second year but the feeling had stopped when he had been announced as Snape's son. He had felt like he belonged, like nothing unusual had happened to him and he was starting off on a clean slate as a _normal_ child. But now he felt separated once again.

"Darian," Hermione's voice startled him out of his thoughts and he turned to see Hermione staring at him curiously. "Are you alright?"

Darian nodded as he lifted his gaze from her face to the teacher's table once again. Dumbledore and Remus were now engaged in a cheerful conversation, completely focused on the subject that they were talking about. Darian smiled slightly as he remembered the mindset bond that he and Remus shared.

He sighed gratefully and turned back to the conversation that had switched to Quidditch; the feeling was gone.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Snape glanced at Darian out of the corner of his eye. The boy was talking to Granger and Weasley along with Miss Turpin. What they were talking about, Severus did not know; he wasn't even sure if he wanted to. The boy looked happy…..kind of, at least more happier then he had been in days.

Severus watched as Weasley said something, spitting some potato on Turpin. She squealed and jumped up, taking out of her wand and aiming it at him. Severus smirked as he watched Weasley reach up to touch his hair, which had turned a hot pink color.

"Find something amusing, Severus?" a voice said at his ear. He jumped and turned to see McGonagall smiling at him. He stared at her in surprise; she had never looked so happy. "I'm glad that your son is helping you open up a bit," she continued to smile and cut him off as he opened his mouth to protest harshly. "That was probably the first time I've seen you smile in about seventeen years."

Severus arched an eyebrow at her before realizing that not only was she smiling at him but also were Dumbledore, Lupin, Flitwick, Sprout, and Hagrid. A note of amusement came from the black dog at Remus's feet. Severus scowled at them all, his face growing a little warm. "It is nice to know that I happen to be the object of your entertainment this evening," he remarked dryly. Dumbledore chuckled heartily. "Come now Severus," he said warmly. "It is about time that you finally open up after all these years. Isn't it getting a little cold inside that shell of yours?" The other teachers chuckled and Severus continued to glare icily at them.

A small commotion had broken out at the Ravenclaw table, Severus realized as he looked back down at Darian's group. He glanced down to see Malfoy, on the floor, sporting a bloody nose while Darian scowled furiously at him, absently rubbing his fist on his robes as if trying to get something off from it. Turpin was holding a red-faced Weasley back and Granger was frowning disapprovingly at Darian, though she made no attempt to chastise him.

"I think you'd better handle this one, Severus," Lupin suggested pleasantly. Severus rolled his eyes, glad to have an excuse to get away from the amused looks that he was getting from his co-workers. He approached the students and folded his arms, looming over them purposefully. It always made them feel small.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Nice shot, Darian," Lisa commented breezily, staring at the form of Draco Malfoy as he held his bloody nose. Darian nodded, rubbing his aching fist against his robes while he struggled to keep himself standing by holding onto his cane with the other hand. Hermione looked as if she were going to tell Darian off, but decided otherwise and instead turned to Ron.

"Calm down will you?" she said to her short-tempered friend. "Darian got him, there's no need to beat him into a bloody pulp." Ron didn't cease his struggles. "Just….once…." he muttered through clenched teeth. "I…want…to….knock…that….git…" his face continued to turn steadily redder until he finally stopped struggling.

"Calm now?" Lisa asked, still holding onto the back of his sleeves. He glared at her. "Okay, okay," she let go of him and backed away, almost cautiously.

Draco Malfoy, still trying to regain his composure, fumbled with his wand and pointed it at Darian. "Cr-" he began but a voice stopped him. "That will do, Mr. Malfoy," Snape commanded as he strode up to them. His arms were folded as he loomed over them.

"Puhfessor, dey attacked be," Malfoy moaned through his bloody nose. Snape narrowed his eyes at the young blonde before turning to the others, speaking curtly.

"Is that so?"

"He called Hermione and Lisa mudbloods," Darian explained quickly stumbling slightly as he tightened his grip on his cane. Snape paused for a moment and glanced briefly at his son before returning to glare at Ron.

"And you felt the need to punch him, Mr. Weasley?" his tone was cold.

"I didn't…"

"Fifteen points from Gryffindor for lying to a teacher!" Snape growled.

"But-"

"And that will fifty points from Gryffindor for fighting…"

"WHAT!!!" Ron exclaimed.

"…each," Snape finished, feeling satisfied.

"B-but.." the redhead stammered. Hermione groaned. _Here we go again_ she thought to herself.

"Fifty points from Ravenclaw, Miss Turpin," Snape continued as he turned to the other blonde. She opened her mouth furiously to protest but Ron beat her to it.

"She didn't even do anything!" Ron snapped, glaring at his least favorite teacher.

"Ten more points from Gryffindor for disrespect to a teacher." Ron opened his mouth again but Hermione hissed, "Hush!"

Snape turned to Darian, who took an involuntary step back. Snape narrowed his eyes at the boy and muttered quietly, "Be at my office at seven for your detention," before turning around and walking away at a brisk pace.

"Man, what a git!" Ron snapped as he folded his arms. He glanced at Darian. "I would've at least thought that he would be a bit more…..oh never mind! This _is_ Snape we're talking about after all!" Ron muttered in resignation.

Malfoy looked absolutely livid and he, used to being the favorite, yelled furiously after Snape's retreating back, "But he was the one that attacked me! All you're giving him is detention! My father will-"

Snape stopped and turned slowly to look at Malfoy, his expression slightly bored. "Oh yes, my apologies, Mr. Malfoy, I seemed to have forgotten," he paused. "Fifty points from Slytherin also," he said in a bored voice before continuing to walk back to the teacher's table.

Malfoy sputtered furiously before he stood up and snapped to Darian, "Wait till my father finds out about this! You'll be lucky enough to be licking the dirt off my boots when he's finished with you and your father, Snape!"

Darian arched an eyebrow in a scary resemblance of Snape. "Is that so?"

Malfoy smirked, "Just keep acting confident, Snape," he said so quietly that only Darian could hear him. "It will only be more satisfying when I get to _personally_ kill you." With that, he turned around and headed back to the Slytherin table with as much dignity as he could muster. Darian sighed, knowing that Malfoy's threats were futile, at least…….he hoped they were.

"Maybe I was wrong," Ron said conversationally from Darian's side. "I mean, Snape is still a git, but you have to admit, seeing Malfoy's face turn completely red _was_ pretty wicked."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Darian shuffled his feet absently, as he stared at the door to Snape's office. He glanced at his watch, which read 6:56. He had to get in there soon, no more dallying or Snape would punish him for being late. An unconscious shiver trailed down Darian's spine at that thought. He shuddered and took a deep breath before slowly reaching up a hand to rap soundly on the door.

"Enter," came the familiar, steely voice.

Darian closed his eyes briefly and took another breath before carefully opening the door, as if he would be punished for opening it wrong. Snape was at his desk, as usual, grading what looked like third year essays. Darian limped to the man's desk and let his eyes scan over the essay Snape was grading. It looked slightly familiar but he didn't know where he had seen it before.

He cleared his throat quietly. "I-I'm here for my detention……..sir," he added the last word quickly. Snape nodded, not looking up from the essay he was grading. Silence fell and the only sound that was heard was the sound of Snape's quill scratching against the essay. Snape finished and put the essay into the 'done' pile. He reached a hand up to rub his eyes tiredly and said without looking at Darian, "You are to reorganize my potion's store alphabetically, then clean out the cauldrons."

Darian blinked; the detention seemed so simple, so easy. That's all he had to do? He wasn't going to be yelled at? Or hit? A year ago, Darian would never have thought that Snape could possibly an abusive parent but after the pensive incident, the thought didn't seem so crazy. Would Snape actually hit him? Would Snape take his anger out on him just like Uncle Vernon had? Darian paled at the thought and suddenly felt very closed in.

An annoyed huff brought him back to the present. Snape was staring at him with an impatient look on his pale face. "Now, Mr. Snape unless you wish to come back here for the rest of the week?" he said curtly.

Darian hurriedly shook his head, muttering a faint, "yes sir.." before heading over to the cabinet that kept the potions. He didn't notice the odd look Snape was shooting him.

&&&&&&&&&

Severus watched as the boy began to take out each vial, careful not to break anything. He had never seen the boy so articulate, so wary; he didn't really like to see Darian like this, it made the boy seem like a porcelain figure whenever he was around Severus, and Severus was suddenly afraid of breaking him, of saying something that could cause the boy to do something drastic as he had done before.

Severus felt his heart burn slightly as he recalled the memory of Darian, lying on the floor of the bathroom, his green eyes lifeless, completely empty…..

Severus had a bad habit of staring at things whenever he was thinking, and this time, he just happened to be staring at the potion's cabinet that Darian was working at. The boy shifted uncomfortably, obviously thinking that his professor was staring at him.

"Um…..sir?" The voice snapped Severus out of his thoughts and he blinked, giving a quick "What?!" in surprise. Darian jumped at his professor's out-of-character response. "Are you alright?" his voice was cautious. "You looked as if you were somewhere else."

Severus shook his head and picked up another third year essay. "It's…..nothing," he spoke in the most civil voice he had ever used with the boy and hadn't even realized it.

Darian started at the almost friendly word, feeling a bit less tense. He nodded to his professor respectively before continuing on sorting the potions beginning with 'P.'

Maybe he had been wrong, maybe Snape was changing. _He was almost friendly_ Darian thought to himself as he put the Polyjuice Potion with the P's, not even comprehending exactly what potion it was. _But he seemed to be in a daze; maybe he didn't realize that he was civil to you._

Darian glanced back at the Potion's Master, who was now deeply engrossed in grading another essay. And as Darian thought of how much he had hated the man, how many students despised Snape and didn't even try to hide it, added with the man's horrible childhood; Darian couldn't help but find himself relating to the man.

_Maybe we are more alike then I thought_.

Darian didn't realize that he had voiced that thought. Snape glanced up at him in confusion before it slowly melted away, showing something akin to tolerance. A small smile made its way onto the man's face and he nodded to the boy, as if silently agreeing with him, knowing that Darian saw him, but not really caring at all.

&&&&&&&&&

"So how was your detention with Snape?" Hermione asked the next morning at breakfast. Darian shrugged. "It was okay."

Ron stared at him, "Okay? You mean 'okay' as in he didn't talk to you or 'okay' because you're not dead?" Hermione elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "What'd I do?!"

Darian ignored his two friends as he absently picked at his eggs. He noticed that they had stopped bickering already and Hermione was now eyeing him like a hawk. "Eat something will you?" she asked softly. Darian glared at her before shoving a spoonful of eggs in his mouth, nearly choking in the process. Hermione sighed but returned to her book.

The first bell rang, signaling that they had about ten minutes to get to their next class, which was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ron and Hermione helped Darian get up before they all picked up their bags and made their way out of the Great Hall.

"Mr. Snape," a smooth, yet slightly hesitant voice from behind spoke. The three froze, as if a deer caught in headlights of a car, after all, any time they had heard that voice they had been in trouble before.

Snape stood behind them, his arms folded and a look on his face that definitely proved that he didn't want to be where he was. Hermione nodded politely, "Professor. Is something wrong?" Snape regarded the girl for a moment, looking as if he'd like nothing more then to snap at her. He held his tongue though and said quietly, "No, Miss Granger but this does not concern you or Mr. Weasley so I suggest that you get to your class before you are tardy."

Hermione and Ron glanced at each other and immediately made up their mind; they were staying. "We'll just wait for Darian, Professor," Hermione said, her tone still annoyingly polite. Snape sneered, "Very well, it will only be my pleasure when you get ten points taken from Gryffindor for being late." Ron opened his mouth but Hermione elbowed him.

"I wish you'd stop doing that!" he growled to her. "Well you need to learn to control your temper!" she retorted. "We've already lost over a hundred points because you couldn't keep your mouth shut!"

"It's okay guys, I'll meet you later," Darian interrupted them, obviously not wanting for his old house to loose another fifty points. Hermione nodded and pulled Ron down the hall towards Professor Lupin's classroom.

Darian slowly looked back up at Snape, who sneered again. "Must you always keep a leash on those two?" he asked mockingly. Now usually, Darian would have taken offense of that little remark but now, he thought it was kind of funny and found himself hiding a snort from behind his hand. "Always," he responded in a matter-of-fact voice.

Snape's lips twitched slightly before he regained his composure and said curtly, "Professor Lupin has excused you from his class for today."

"Why?"

Snape shifted slightly, "They are studying dementors today and he wishes for you to keep memories of in check." Darian looked down at the floor. "I hate being weak," he muttered quietly, intending to keep that comment to himself. Snape arched an eyebrow at it. "Why, Mr. Snape, do you believe yourself to be weak because of an accident that wasn't your fault?"

Darian looked slightly surprised at the question and shrugged one shoulder, putting most of his weight on his cane. "Just do," he muttered quietly.

Snape looked at him oddly for a moment before saying, "I have no classes this period and to make up for your absence for Defense Against the Dark Arts, you are going to be working with me to refill Poppy's stock of the Pepper-Up Potion. Darian flinched and closed his eyes briefly. "Believe me, Mr. Snape, I am not anymore pleased with this arrangement then you are," Snape told him coolly. Darian nodded, "Right..." He shifted his weight to his left foot and limped to keep up with Snape as they made their way down to the dungeons; his back screamed in protest as they walked down the stairs.

Snape stopped and closed his eyes as if praying for patience before turning to see Darian limping slowly down the stairs. "By the time we get down to the dungeons, your class will be over," he told the boy curtly. Darian clenched teeth in silent torment as he tried to speed up.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

When Dumbledore entered he thought the scene was almost sweet, though he knew it wasn't supposed to look that way.

Darian had obviously fallen since he was down on the floor, his robes soaked with Pepper-Up potion and a broken vial in front of him but that wasn't what Dumbledore thought was sweet. It was instead that of Severus Snape, who was currently on his knees, trying to help the pained boy up. Severus had one hand on Darian's left wrist, trying to pull him up while the other rested on the small of the boy's back, obviously trying to prevent any more pain from coming to his precious burden.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Dumbledore asked in an amused voice intending for Severus to merely scowl and continue helping the boy up but instead, Severus stood up quickly, causing Darian to drop heavily back down on the floor with a yell of pain. Snape didn't pay any attention as he slowly backed up from the boy, eyeing Darian as if he were a poisonous substance to be wary of.

Dumbledore stared at Severus in shock before hurrying over to the boy, where Darian was breathing profoundly to stop his eyes from tearing up because of the pain. He gently helped Darian up, causing him to groan in agony. Dumbledore glared at Severus, who remained where he was, staring at the two, his face showing no emotion.

"Don't just stand there, Severus. Call Poppy," Dumbledore commanded. Honestly, Severus could be so stubborn sometimes.

Severus didn't nod but turned to floo the nurse. When Poppy caught sight of Darian, she immediately began to scold Dumbledore about keeping a closer watch on him and shouted at Severus for overstraining the poor boy telling the two men that he would have to stay in the Hospital Wing for a couple hours today and miss the rest of his classes.

After she left with Darian, Dumbledore turned to the other wizard accusingly. "I see now, Severus," he said quietly, his voice not at all cheerful. "You are afraid to get close to someone again and don't play dumb, I know you care for him no matter how hard you try to hide it!"

Severus stared at the headmaster in confusion. "But…"

"But what?" Dumbledore interrupted, his blue eyes holding no twinkle. "All the professors have noticed it, Severus. It radiates off you like energy. Every time you look at him, I can see how much you care for him in your eyes. Yes, Severus, I have noticed how almost every meal you spend watching him, making sure that nothing happens to him and you try so hard to hide it!"

Severus was surprised at the headmaster. The man had almost never yelled at him and now here he was, roaring at him as if he were deaf.

"Why are you so afraid to care for someone again?" Dumbledore whispered softly to him. "Is it because of what happened to Lily?"

Dumbledore looked at Severus expectantly. Finally, Severus closed his eyes briefly and said, almost dejectedly, "I always get hurt when I get close to someone," he looked up to meet Dumbledore's eyes. "They always die in the end." Dumbledore stared at him for a moment. "But I'm still here," he told the man. Severus looked up.

"You're an exception."

"And how is that?"

"You are the most powerful wizard alive."

"I am not."

"Who is more powerful then you, then? No one is."

"Darian is."

Severus stared at Dumbledore with a raised eyebrow. "Right…"

Dumbledore frowned. "He is. He can control magic energy, something that no other wizard has been able to do yet besides he."

Severus said nothing.

"That's another thing, Severus," Dumbledore continued. "I need you to train Darian, train him to be able to control his power…"

"No."

"Severus…"

"I said, _no_!"

"Severus please…"

"What don't you understand about 'no' headmaster?!"

Dumbledore sighed. "You are just afraid that you'll end up loving him."

Severus growled. "I am not! I just don't want to train him! He's your chess piece, you train him!"

"He needs someone who is family to him, Severus. He needs someone who can relate to him. You match that perfectly."

"Then get Lupin to do it."

"He needs his father, Severus. Someone who will be there for him and who he can talk to so he won't try to kill himself again!"

Severus stared at the man again. He swallowed the rising lump in his throat as the image of Darian's lifeless body flashed through his mind.

"Fine," he said in a raspy voice. "Tell the boy to be down here at seven tomorrow evening."

Dumbledore smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Severus."

"And kindly go away, Albus."

"Thank you, Severus."

"Now, please," Severus repeated in an annoyed voice as he held the door open. Dumbledore smiled and strode out, looking as if he had just won a thousand galleons.

Severus slammed the door shut after the old man had left and looked around at the broken vial on the floor to the ruined Pepper-Up potion that was still in the cauldron.

"What have I gotten myself into?"


	16. Chapter sixteen Flashbacks and Practices

Hey everyone! Thanks to everybody who reviewed once again, I really appreciate them! Okay, good news, school is over for Christmas so I'll have a lot more time to write.

Also, thanks to my betareader, badbugz once again.

Chapter Sixteen- Flashbacks and Practices

"Why aren't my eyes amber like Remus'?" Darian asked Madame Pomfrey. He had been in the Hospital Wing for the past two hours while she had tried to fix the damage done to his back as best as she could.

"They will be eventually," she replied, handing him his cane, "when your body is used to the monthly changes."

Darian nodded as he took the cane.

"Careful now," Madame Pomfrey told him as he eased his weight onto his feet with the aid of his cane. "Does your back hurt?"

Darian frowned, "It just aches a little now but it's going away."

"Good. Now you need to take it easy or you could damage your back beyond repair," Madame Pomfrey sighed. "And tell your father not to make you do any physical work for a while." Darian nodded, wincing slightly at the title she had given to Snape. His thoughts drifted to the man.

Why oh why did he, Darian, have to be so clumsy? Things were going so well until he had fallen like an idiot. Then Dumbledore just had to walk in at that precise moment. Snape was actually being civil to him; he had even started to help him up when he had fallen but Dumbledore had walked in. Of course, Snape had felt embarrassed by showing that he had feelings so the man dropped him as if he were useless trash.

Darian sighed as he recalled the talk they had had….

_###########FLASHBACK SNAPE'S POV################ _

_"Why do want me to die?" Darian blurted out as he handed Snape the freshly cut caterpillars. The man nearly dropped the ingredients as he stared at the boy in shock. _

_"What?" was all he said. _

_Darian looked at the man in the eye and said dejectedly, "You want me to die; well, maybe not die exactly but you want me to go away." It took Snape a moment to realize that he was gawking at the boy; he quickly stopped. "What on earth makes you say a stupid thing like that Mr. Snape? While I certainly don't like you, I certainly do not wish you dead." _

_"You said I was worthless." _

_Snape looked down at the boy before him. Darian quickly busied himself with chopping up more caterpillars. Snape arched an eyebrow at him. He had never thought that anything he said could affect the boy so much. He sighed and reached a hand up to rub the spot between his eyes. Darian looked up curiously. _

_"When I get mad," Snape began, struggling to say something that would explain his words. "I…er….say things that I don't mean to say," he finished quickly before turning back to the simmering potion. He was well aware of Darian staring at him and felt slightly embarrassed for telling the boy. Damn. Albus was right; he was starting to open up more….and it pissed him off! _

_"Do you hate me?" he heard Darian ask, sounding a little more brave now that he had answered one question. Snape felt annoyance rise up in him at the boy and he bit his tongue hard to stop himself from yelling at Darian. Instead, he spoke in a quiet, controlled voice. "Just because I answered one of your questions does not mean that I will answer them all," he managed to say through gritted teeth. 'Don't snap at him. Be patient and don't say anything that you will regret,' he told himself firmly. _

_"So you do hate me?" _

_For a moment, Snape felt the anger rise up in him dramatically at the boy's nosiness but it faded away almost instantly, surprising him. He turned his eyes down towards the boy, who was staring up at him almost hopefully. His glare softened slightly and he turned back to the potion. _

_"The definition of hatred is that you never want to see the person again, and in some cases, you want them dead," he paused. "So…no, I can't say that I hate you…." He couldn't believe that he had just told the boy that! What was wrong with him? What had happened to remaining emotionless? What had happened to not ever telling anyone what he was feeling? Whenever he told someone anything about himself, they always used it against him in some way. He remembered how Dumbledore had witnessed when he had made that vow about loving his children when he had been young…Dumbledore had used that vow to make him accept Darian as his son and reveal it publicly. _

_Thinking about the vow caused him to look back down at Darian, who looking more at ease. He felt his lips twitch and manage to curl into a very small smile. It quickly faded when Darian looked up though. _

_Snape carefully ladled half the potion into a large vial. He turned to the slightly dazed boy beside him. "Put this in the cabinet," he told Darian. The boy nodded, snapping out of his dazed state before taking the vial in one hand. Snape watched out of the corner of his eye as Darian fumbled with his cane before limping to the cabinet. He turned back to the cauldron, taking another empty vial to pour the rest of the potion in to when a crash followed by a yell of pain made him whirl around. _

_Darian was on the floor; the potion all over him while the rest was sprayed on the floor beside the broken vial. He strode over to the fallen boy. He eyed the wasted three pints of Pepper-Up potion and heaved a sigh, mumbling, "Merlin, Darian…." _

_Darian sat up slowly, hissing in pain and clamping his eyes tightly shut as he did so, his hand flying to his back. "Oh shit!" he moaned in pain. "Oh shit…….shit…" Snape quickly squatted down next to him, having temporarily forgotten about Darian's back injury. _

_"Are you alright?" Snape closed his eyes in frustration, 'Stupid question.' He stared at Darian as the boy breathed heavily, his eyes squeezed tightly shut in torment as he tried to prevent the tears from falling. Snape hesitantly put a hand on the boy's back and gently rubbed it. _

_"We need to get you to Poppy," he told the boy, knowing that he probably didn't hear him. "Come on, try to get up." He waited until Darian nodded before slowly pulling on the boy's left wrist and putting a little bit of pressure on his back to encourage his body to stand up. _

_The door opened suddenly and Dumbledore strolled in. Snape's eyes widened as he realized what he was doing. No, he would NOT get close to someone again. He would NOT be hurt again. He felt slightly embarrassed as Dumbledore smiled at the sight and immediately let go of his burden. He stood up, ignoring the cry of pain as Darian dropped hard on the floor again. For a moment, he was tempted to try and help the boy up again but he remembered that Dumbledore was here and Dumbledore would help the boy, so he instead began to back away. _

_#############END FLASHBACK#####################  
_

"Hello? Earth to Darian!" Darian jumped in surprise and nearly knocked Hermione in the head, who had been leaning close to his face in an attempt to get his attention. "It's time to go," Hermione said as she leaned back.

He blinked at her in confusion before shaking his head and mumbling, "Right…."

They walked out of the Hospital Wing together and made their way down to the Great Hall. "Lunch is just about to end so you can pick up something before we have to leave for Charms," Hermione said as they approached the empty Ravenclaw table. He shook his head, "Not that hungry. I thought that I would miss all my classes today."

Hermione shrugged in response, "You just missed Professor Lupin's class. Where were you anyway?"

"Snape said that I couldn't go to the class since you guys were repelling dementors today. He made me help him with restocking Madame Pomfrey's potion's supplies," Darian explained.

"How'd you end up in the Hospital Wing? Again?" Hermione smiled slightly. "You are attracted to that place aren't you?" He shrugged. "I fell when I was putting the Pepper-Up potion into the cabinet." His face darkened slightly.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, noticing his change of demeanor. He told her about what had happened with Snape. She frowned in concentration. "You know, it sounds as if he's afraid to get close to anyone, or he's embarrassed," she said as they approached Professor Flitwick's room. She put a hand over her mouth quickly, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean for it to sound as if he were embarrassed of you. I mean…he's embarrassed about getting close to anyone."

Darian smiled in amusement as they stopped in front of the classroom door. "I know what you meant, 'Mione, relax."

The second bell rang just as they walked in the door. Darian sat down beside Lisa while Hermione sat behind him with Ron.

Professor Flitwick carefully climbed the large stack of books in front of his podium and cleared his throat, causing the class to fall silent.

"Today class," he squeaked. "We are going to be starting a new charm called the Glacius Charm!" he announced proudly. "Now, who can tell me what it does?"

As expected, Hermione's hand flew up first. "The Glacius Charm is an ice charm used to freeze opponents. It is much like the Stupefy spell but instead of merely making the person unable to move, their body is completely frozen. It is not dangerous when used occasionally but if it is used frequently, or is held on a person for a long time, it can cause a heart attack, which is proven to be the only reason why wizards prefer the Stupefy over the Glacius," Hermione said in one breath, practically glowing. Ron snorted from behind Darian and mumbled, "Bloody Genius," under his breath.

"Excellent Miss Granger! Five points to Gryffindor!" Hermione beamed.

"Now," Flitwick continued. "The wrist movement for the Glacius Charm is similar to that of the Wingardium Leviosa except not as much swish and more flick." He straightened up. "I take it each of you have brought an animal?"

There were nods and murmurs of agreement. Darian had used a large gray school owl since he couldn't take Hedwig. Pig gave a shrill hoot, causing Darian's owl to ruffle his feathers indignantly.

"Alright then let's try it together now. One, two, three…"

A chorused, "Glacius," filled the room for a moment and Darian's owl froze for a moment before returning to its normal state. Hermione frowned and looked at Crookshanks, who merely gave a large yawn of boredom.

"Very nice, Mr. Snape," Flitwick said approvingly. "Try to hold it longer this time, come on now! You just need to put more energy into the incantation."

Darian was aware of the class going quiet and he resisted the urge to blush. He cleared his throat and said broadly, "Glacius!"

The owl froze completely and didn't move. Flitwick clapped his hands together. "Look here, class! Mr. Snape's done it! Ten points to Ravenclaw!" he crowed triumphantly, beaming at Darian. "Alright now, everyone back to work! Go on!"

The room was filled with the same incantation and Darian muttered, "Finite Incantantem." The owl unfroze and gave a loud hoot of annoyance.

"Glacius!" Hermione exclaimed, flicking her wand at Crookshanks. The cat stared blankly at her. She huffed in annoyance and glanced at Darian's owl, which froze once again at Darian's command. "How do you do it?"

Darian shrugged. "I guess I got it from my mum. She was really good at Charms." He watched silently as Hermione attempted it again without any success.

"Less swish," Darian commented and Hermione froze in mid-chant. She frowned and tried it again, cutting the swish so short that it looked like she had just flicked. Darian frowned. "Not that less." She tried again, making the swish too long again.

"Just a little less."

Hermione huffed in annoyance and tried again, this time nearly knocking Darian in the mouth. "Watch it!" he exclaimed ducking out of the way of the wand. "Sorry," she mumbled lamely. "I just can't get this thing! I'm used to getting it every time, what's so different about this charm?"

Darian rolled his eyes. "Hermione, you can't get it the first time all the time. You are only human, you know." He paused and put in for good measure. "And just because you can't get it the first couple of times doesn't mean you aren't ever going to get it. You're just going through it the hard way like us standard people do." He grinned at her. "Now," he began. "You need to remember that the wrist movements aren't exactly like the Levitating Charm only similar. There is a lot less swish and more flick…"

Ron grinned at the two of them and muttered to Lisa, "Ah to be young and in love."

"And you're saying you're not young?" Lisa asked cheekily. Ron shrugged. "I am but I'm not in love."

"And neither are they," Lisa stated. Ron rolled his eyes. "I guess not all girls are romance freaks, are they?"

"Nope," Lisa tried the spell again without any success. "It's just that you can't fall in love that easily!"

"Unless you haven't heard, Hermione and Darian have known each other for…." Ron trailed off and blinked. "…er…only a month," he finished lamely, blushing as he remembered to keep Darian's true identity secret.

"See," Lisa said smirking. "You can't fall in love in a month."

Ron said nothing. 'Maybe you can't, but they've known each other for over five years,' he thought to himself.

"Well maybe," he said gruffly, trying to regain some of his pride. "Maybe they have the potential…."

Lisa shrugged. "Possibly." She frowned and glanced wearily at Ron. "I don't mean to bring up…you know…him or anything but I think that she would have been much better off with Harry. They've known each other for five years and always seemed so wrapped up in each other, no offence," she muttered quietly.

Ron was silent as he watched Pig fly around like a snitch. He was about to correct Lisa and tell her that it had always been Harry, Hermione, and him, and of course Harry and Hermione would always be together but decided against it. After all, he was supposed to act rather gloomy at the mention of Harry.

Lisa mistook his silence. "I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean to make you think of him or anything. I just wouldn't expect that you would want everyone to be so cautious around you."

"No, it's fine," Ron murmured as he absently waved his wand again at Pig.

"…stronger flick," he heard Darian say out of his peripheral hearing and turned to watch Hermione try again.

"Glacius," Hermione flicked her wand hard at the cat, which promptly froze for about five seconds before unfreezing. She squealed happily. Darian grinned. "Right, now try it again and say it with more power."

"Glacius!"

Ron turned from the now frozen Crookshanks and muttered, "Bloody geniuses," under his breath before returning to a still lively Pig.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Darian looked at the door grimly. How had tonight gotten here so fast? One minute he had been coming back from Charms with Ron and Hermione when Dumbledore appeared and told him to be at Snape's at seven the next evening and the next, he's standing right here, waiting for the Professor to answer his knock.

"Enter," came the reluctant voice and Darian opened the door. He limped in and glanced around the abandoned classroom. All of the desks had been pushed to the side, revealing a rather large space for whatever they were doing. Snape was standing at the far end of the room with his arms folded, looking at him through a curtain of greasy hair.

"Professor Dumbledore told me to come," Darian mumbled quietly, not meeting his professor's dark gaze.

Snape gave a curt nod before unfolding his arms and walking toward Darian. "Tell me, Mr. Snape," he said in a neutral voice. "Do you know why you have accidental magic so much?"

Darian blinked and wondered if this was some kind of trick question. He pondered on it for a moment before shaking his head. "No sir."

Snape nodded again before turning and starting to pace. Darian shifted uncomfortably.

"The reason, Mr. Snape, is because you are emotionally unstable at times for several reasons."

Darian winced. It made him feel like a deranged maniac.

"But the best reason is because of your……gift."

Darian blinked and said in a calm voice, "I wouldn't call turning into a monster every month a gift, Professor. Besides, Professor Lupin is never that unstable."

Snape whirled around and glared at him. "Did I say that?" he asked coolly. "I said your gift, boy, use your ears! Do you honestly think that I would call turning into a werewolf every full moon is a gift? More like a curse in my opinion!" He quickly calmed himself down.

Darian looked at the floor and said nothing else on the subject.

"I meant the 'power that the Dark Lord knows not,'" Snape recited. Darian looked back up at him.

"I take it you don't know what that is?" Snape asked smoothly and at Darian's negative response he went on. "The last couple of times you have had 'accidental magic,' you have displayed a rather unusual exploit." He stopped pacing and looked at the boy to see if he was following him.

Darian frowned. "Do you mean me turning your spells against you? That isn't normal is it? Not even for accidental magic…"

Snape nodded. "Good, I won't have to explain." He paused for a moment to study Darian's expression. "That is not accidental magic, Mr. Snape, it is a gift……a talent that not I or the headmaster has seen any other wizard perform." He paused again for dramatic affect as Darian stared at him blankly. "You have the ability to control magical energy, Mr. Snape, and the headmaster has, requested that I try to train you to control that talent."

Darian frowned again. "Is that really such a good idea, Professor?" he asked nervously. "I mean, Occlumency didn't work so what makes him think that this will work?"

Snape sneered at him. "Well maybe I won't have to deal with a prying little snot that can't keep his nose out of other people's business," he smirked nastily. "But we all know that's not going to happen."

For a moment, Darian felt the familiar pain but in an instant, it disappeared and he couldn't help but feel angry….very angry. Snape couldn't even try to act civil, could he? Snape was a spy for Voldemort; he could act like the perfect Death Eater and yet he couldn'tt even pretend to be human to his son! Well if Snape wasn't going to make an attempt then neither would he! He shouldn't even care about the greasy git! Ron was right; Snape would never change.

Snape smirked as the boy's face morphed into one of fury. The boy was so easy to rile up and Snape almost laughed. Now, to put his theory to the test. He took out his wand and pointed it at the boy. Something that wouldn't harm him or even petrify him….

"Expelliarmus!" he shouted and a jet of red light shot at Darian.

Darian turned toward the spell and glared at it. The light froze in midair and Snape couldn't help but smirk in approval. He quickly moved out of the way as the light soured back toward him so the spell would hit the wall, but it didn't. Instead, the jet of light turned sharply away from the wall and headed towards him. Snape's eyes widened and he ducked under the jet of light. He moved quickly to the other side of the room and the spell followed him.

"Protego!" there was a flash of blue light as the spell was absorbed into the shield. He slowly turned to Darian, who had collapsed to his knees, panting.

"Now do you know what power I'm talking about?" he asked smoothly. Darian looked up at him wearily and nodded slowly, looking amazed at what he had done. "But," Snape went on. "You can only do it when you are angry or panicked or scared, whenever you are displaying a strong emotion it always works." He turned to Darian, who was starting to stand up again. "You need to learn to control that and do it at will, understand?"

Darian nodded, still looking weak. Snape clicked his tongue irritably and made his way to the potion's cupboard where he got out the Pepper-Up Potion. "Here," he handed the potion to the boy. "Drink it and we can began."

Darian downed the disgusting potion in one gulp and felt his strength return to him immediately. "Ready?" Snape asked in a slightly mocking voice. Darian nodded.

"Alright," Snape began. "I want you to choose one emotion, the strongest emotion that you think you have. Once you do, think of a time when the emotion was strongest for you. Use that emotion to try and control the spell, alright?" Darian looked at him wearily and nodded.

"This may take some time but once you get it, I'm sure it will be a lot easier," Snape explained in a voice that could have been considered calming by Albus Dumbledore.

Darian thought for a moment before picking anger as his emotion. After all, he seemed to do the most with anger. He thought of the time before his third year, when he had blown Aunt Marge up. She had been insulting James and his mother and it had made him so mad that he had accidentally inflated her. Gritting his teeth in concentration, he tried to remember the anger he felt at her words.

_"If there's something wrong with the bitch then there'll be something wrong with the pup-"_

_"-but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best of families. Then she ran off with that wastrel and here's the result right in front of us."_

_"A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who-"_

_"They go and got themselves killed in a car crash (drunk I expect)-"_

Fury coursed through him as he remembered the words. Dimly he heard Snape mutter, "Expelliarmus!"

A moment later his wand, which had been in his hand, flew out of his hand and into Snape's grasp. Darian growled in frustration.

"You didn't actually think that you'd get it the first time?" Snape asked tolerantly.

"Well, I was really angry so, yea, I expected it."

"I told you you wouldn't."

A shrug.

"I think," Snape began, frowning to himself. "That you should direct that emotion toward me. Think of a memory where you are feeling that emotion toward me and it might work better." He handed Darian his wand back.

Darian snorted. Well that should be easy. He thought once again of his third year….

_"How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter. He too was exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers… The resemblance between you is uncanny."_

_"Your father didn't set much store by rules either. Rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen-"_

The anger came easier for him then it did for Aunt Marge. He had a hundred different memories that he could use to get mad at Snape.

"Expelliarmus!"

Once again, his wand flew from his firm grip and Darian gritted his teeth. Snape calmly returned him his wand again.

They continued on like this for what seemed like hours when really, it was only an hour and a half. At the end of the session, Darian was exhausted and furious. He hadn't made a lick of progress but Snape was surprisingly tolerant about the whole thing.

"I think that's enough for now, Mr. Snape," he said calmly, returning Darian his wand for about the fiftieth time. "No!" Darian snapped. "I've almost got it! I know I do! Just one more try!"

Snape's lips twitched. "You have been saying that the last ten times. It is almost curfew. We will practice more next week."

Darian growled inwardly and shoved his wand into his pocket. "What can I do to practice?" he asked tiredly.

"Unless you are considering for your friends to throw curses at you then you can do nothing," Snape replied tartly. "One of the reasons why I believe this will go better then Occlumency ever did."

Darian gave him a reflected sneer and Snape actually turned away.

"I expect you back here next Tuesday at seven, alright?"

Darian nodded and made his way out the door. He paused in the doorway and turned to Snape, thinking about what Dumbledore had said about the man. "Goodnight Professor," he said softly. He watched as the man's shoulders tensed before hurrying away.

Snape turned to look at the now empty doorway. "Goodnight Darian," he said quietly, not caring that the boy didn't hear him.

() So tell me what you think!


	17. Chapter seventeen Full Moon!

I am so sorry for the long wait. I think this is one of the first times I've gotten writer's block for this story....

Well, once again thanks to my wonderful reviewers as well as my beta reader, Badbugz.

Chapter seventeen- Full Moon?!

The days seemed to pass quickly and soon everything began to drop back into Darian's normal schedule, or as normal as it could be. He soon found himself drinking Wolfsbane Potion as the full moon was only a few days away.

"Have you made any progress with your training?" Hermione asked one day at lunch. Lisa and he were sitting with Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table today. Darian scowled and shook his head viciously. "No," he snapped, though his anger wasn't directed at Hermione.

"Have you tried switching emotions?" Hermione asked softly, obviously not wanting to rile up her friend.

"At least ten times," Darian replied sourly. "We try each emotion for about a week, give or take a few days, and then we switch them. I should at least be able to stop the spells! We've been through anger, panic, terror, and sadness; what else can there be?"

Hermione sighed sympathetically. "You'll get the hang of it eventually. Just because you don't get it the first couple of times doesn't mean you aren't going to get it," she tried using reverse psychology. It didn't work. "This hasn't been 'the first couple of times' this has been literally about a thousand times per emotion!" Darian snapped, his eyes flashing to amber for a brief instant. Hermione glanced at the Gryffindors who were looking their way curiously. "Calm down," she said soothingly. "If anyone sees your eyes change color…."

Darian 'hmphed' and returned to his lunch. Hermione really couldn't blame him; after all, the full moon was tomorrow night.

"Mr. Snape," came a pleasant voice. Darian's anger faded away immediately. "Hey Professor Lupin!" he said cheerfully. Remus also looked slightly pale and nodded in greeting. "May I speak to you about…er…the essay I assigned for you?" he glanced wearily at the still staring Gryffindors.

Darian frowned and nodded, standing up to follow Remus. "I'll see you guys later," he called to Ron and Hermione. It was Saturday and the whole morning had been spent doing homework in the library (Hermione's strict orders) with Hermione and Ron. Darian really hadn't minded much. He had already finished all of his homework and he had used the time in the library to work on some work he would be missing due to the full moon.

They entered Remus's office where Snape was already in there with two steaming goblets. Sirius was also there sitting impatiently in one of the overstuffed chairs. Darian groaned as Snape handed him one of the goblets.

"Your second to last one," Snape reminded him. Darian nodded and held his nose before chugging the revolting mess. Snape already had a glass of pumpkin juice ready for him when he finished. "Thanks," he whispered as he finished the juice.

Snape grunted something in response.

Darian turned to Remus. "Was there something you needed to talk to me about?"

Remus nodded, looking even paler. He glanced nervously at Sirius and Snape, who merely stared wearily back at him. "Look Darian," he began. "I'm really, really sorry to have to tell you this but…" he broke off and Darian blinked at him in confusion. "…I have some Order business to attend to for a couple of days. Severus is going to take over my classes during that time."

Darian nodded slowly. "Okay…what's that got to do with me?"

"Well, I'm leaving today," Remus muttered quickly. Darian stared at him. "But…what about the full moon?"

Remus shook his head. "I'm sorry, Darian but I'm not going to be here for the full moon. It's just going to be you and Sirius."

Darian paled and looked at his hands. Remus put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm really sorry. I know this is only your second transformation but…."

"No, it's fine," Darian mumbled quietly. He looked up at Remus. "You have Order business. It's okay, Sirius will be with me to…"

Remus nodded, still looking troubled. "You won't fight with me so that means you won't be injured as much." Darian nodded absently. He knew that all he and Remus did was fight during the full moon but having another werewolf around brought a lot of comfort to him for some reason. It let him know that he wasn't the only one experiencing this, that there was someone else who understood his pain. But he could do it couldn't he? He was sixteen; it wasn't like he was a child or anything. He'd be fine.

"I'll be fine," he voiced quietly. Remus squeezed his shoulder briefly. "I'm leaving now. So I shall see you on Wednesday alright?"

Darian nodded. "Okay. Bye Professor."

"Goodbye Darian." Remus picked up his tattered brief case, nodded to the three of them, and walked out of the classroom.

Darian released a breath that he didn't even know he'd been holding. Sirius put a hand on his shoulder in a similar manner that Remus had. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" Darian gave him a forced smile. "Yeah, you'll be with me." Sirius nodded. Snape looked at him suspiciously through a curtain of hair.

Darian ignored his stare.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Professor Lupin isn't going to be there?" Hermione repeated the next evening. Darian nodded again.

"Will you be okay with that?"

"Why does everyone have to keep asking me that question?!" Darian snapped. "I'll be fine! It's not like I'm six! I don't need anyone to hold my hand!"

Hermione scowled. "I was just asking Darian, you didn't need to get all defensive," she said coolly. Darian's glare softened. "I'm sorry, 'Mione. I can't help it."

"I know you can't," Hermione said soothingly. "It's okay; I'll just ignore everything you say."

Darian smiled slightly at her. Snuffles gave a soft 'woof' from beside him. They were now walking down to the Whomping Willow. Hermione said that she'd escort him as far as the willow, which brought Darian more comfort then he would have thought.

"Did you take your last dosage?" Hermione asked softly. Darian frowned and shivered. "No." Hermione jumped. "What?"

"Snape had a Death Eater meeting and wasn't able to give it to me," Darian murmured. "I can't believe this! The one time I can't get my potion happens to be the one time that Remus isn't here!"

"Well that could be a good thing you know," Hermione mused. "You and Remus would probably kill each other without the potion."

Darian said nothing as they went through the Entrance Hall. "Just make sure you hurry out before the moon rises." Hermione giggled. "Don't be so paranoid. I'll have plenty of time. Last time you went down about five minutes before the moon actually rose."

"I know but still…."

They stepped out onto the grounds and were greeted with a swish of cool air. The grounds were so silent at night, so peaceful that Darian smiled despite the circumstances. As they made their way down to the Whomping Willow, a dark figure caught Darian's eye. Snuffles started to growl. Hermione jumped. "What is it?" she whispered.

Darian shook his head and pulled his wand out. He sniffed the air experimentally, finding the scent familiar.

Hermione also pulled out her wand. The figure was just coming out of the Forbidden Forest when it stumbled and fell sharply on the ground.

In a second, Darian realized who it was. "It's Snape!" he exclaimed and hurried over to the border between the forest and the grounds. Hermione followed after quickly, her robes whipping in the wind.

Darian fell down beside the man and turned him over. "Professor!" he exclaimed, shaking him slightly. "Professor Snape! Wake up! Please wake up!"

The man stirred and groaned, slowly coming to. His black gaze focused on Darian and Hermione, who were looking at him worriedly. "Darian?"

"Are you alright?" Darian asked softly as he helped the man up. Snape groaned and rubbed his head. "Cruciatus…." He muttered weakly. "We'll get you to Madame Pomfrey. Hold on," Darian said gently.

Snape stood up shakily. He stumbled twice and, with the aid of Darian and Hermione, finally made it to his feet. They began to make their way up the hill when Snape seemed to return to normal. He gazed up at the sky, absently noting that the moon was rising. He froze, causing Hermione and Darian to stop. Snape slowly looked at Darian in horror as he realized that he hadn't had the chance to make him his last batch of Wolfsbane.

"Darian," he said very slowly. He glanced at Hermione, who was looking at him strangely. "Miss Granger, get over here," he hissed extending his hand as he began to back away from the boy.

"What?" Hermione looked at him in confusion.

"Now!" Snape snapped as he eyed Darian with caution. He looked past Darian to the rising moon. "Oh shit," he whispered.

Hermione and Darian followed his gaze and Hermione gasped. "Oh Merlin!" she squeaked, all but running over to her professor.

Snuffles immediately transformed into Sirius, not caring who saw, as he ran up to Darian, who was backing away from Hermione and Snape.

"Darian!" he tried to get the boy's attention by grabbing him by both shoulders and giving them a squeeze.

"Sirius, get away from me," Darian whispered, fear evident in his voice. 'Oh Merlin,' he thought to himself. 'I'm going to kill them! I'm going to kill my father and best friend!' What had he done? How could he have been so irresponsible? He was dimly aware of Sirius grasping his shoulders and yanking him toward the Forbidden Forest when a searing pain tore through him. He dropped to his knees; tears of agony pouring down his cheeks. The transformation seemed so much more painful. Was it because he didn't get his last dosage of the Wolfsbane? He didn't know and frankly, couldn't care. It just hurt…hurt so much…. A ragged scream tore from his lips, which quickly morphed into a deep howl.

Hermione screamed as he began to transform and turned to run but Snape caught her arm. "Don't move, Granger!" he hissed quietly. She froze behind her professor as she watched her best friend change into something that was commonly called a monster. It was quite like Remus's transformation in their third year but this was different. Remus had been her favorite professor, but Darian was her best friend and it pierced her heart to hear him scream like that, to watch as he transformed into a monster. Tears were slowly making their was down her cheeks as she cried silently, staring at Darian's writhing form on the ground.

Sirius was on the ground beside him. He still had one hand on his shoulder and was murmuring the same things he had said to Remus. It was a terrible sight. Darian's head was lengthening. Hair was sprouting all over his face and body; hands were curling into clawed paws. The scream quickly turned to a snarling howl.

Snape tried to stop himself from trembling as he watched his son's horrible transformation. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy. He could only imagine the pain he must be going through. He shivered, trying to reason with himself that Darian wouldn't be near as big as Remus, who was a full-grown werewolf. But flashes of Remus's werewolf form from their schooldays, when that prank Black had pulled on him got him face-to-face with the wolf soon chased away those allegory comforts.

Hermione squeaked as she slowly started to back away along with Snape, whose eyes never left Darian's form.

"Run!" Sirius yelled from behind Darian's larger form. "Now!!" Whatever else he was about to say was cut off as one swipe of Darian's large paw sent him hurling into the forest. Hermione screamed, which, unfortunately, attracted Darian's attention.

Darian advanced upon them, his now dagger-like teeth dripping with saliva as he eyed them predatorily.

"D-darian?" Hermione whispered shakily. "Darian?" Darian's now amber eyes ran over her and Snape as if measuring to see which one looked like an easier prey.

"Darian?" Hermione whispered again and her brown eyes met his. For a moment, the werewolf froze and they stared at one another. Hermione took a tiny step toward him and Darian let out a loud roar, leaping at her. She screamed and was shoved out of the way by Snape, who took the opposite direction.

Hermione drew her wand and shakily pointed it at Darian. The werewolf snarled at her once more before turning and suddenly leaping in the other direction. "Professor!" she shrieked.

Snape was caught off guard as Darian suddenly leapt at him, pinning him down to the ground. Snape gasped, his chest exploding his pain as he struggled to breathe. Darian lowered his jaws to his face. Snape tensed as he felt the hot breath against his face. He opened his eyes blurrily to look at Darian, who was now sniffing him.

"Darian…" he moaned desperately, trying to reach his son. Darian reared back, his long jaws snapping when a blur came out of nowhere and a second later, Snuffles had clamped his jaw securely around Darian's neck, who howled loudly in pain.

Hermione hurried over to Snape and helped him up. They stood there, petrified, as Snuffles wrestled Darian to the ground, trying to get control of the ravenous werewolf.

"Come on!" Snape whispered to the girl behind him. "We have to go _now_!" He grabbed the collar of her robes and yanked her with him up the hill that led to Hogwarts.

"No!" Hermione whispered. "Hagrid's is closer!"

"It is also in the wrong direction! Now move it, Granger!" he snapped, clearly getting angry with the stubborn girl. He was already in pain; hadn't the Cruciatus been enough for one night?

A shrill whine brought their attention back to the matter at hand and Hermione squeaked as Snuffles was flung off Darian with such a force that he was sent pin wheeling out of sight.

Darian again focused his attention on them and Hermione whimpered, "Please Darian! It's us! It's me, Hermione, your friend and this is your father!" she whispered desperately but to no avail. She briefly recalled her explanation on the werewolf. _He would kill his best friend if he were to come across his path_. She shook her head stubbornly. No! She wasn't going to die like this! Not only for herself but for Darian as well. Darian would kill himself if he killed them. She knew it for a fact. He would try and try until he succeeded and she wasn't about to let that happen.

Narrowing her eyes with renewed determination, she pointed her wand at the werewolf. Closing her eyes, Hermione remembered Darian's words: _There's a lot less swish and more flick……_

She tried to steady her wand at Darian. The wolf eyed the wand and immediately reacted in defense mode, leaping toward them like lightening. Hermione opened her eyes and shrieked, "GLACIUS!!!"

A jet of light blue light struck the wolf and he froze. Tumbling to the ground, he lay unmoving. Hermione gasped. "It worked," she muttered lamely. Snape grabbed her arm and jerked her up the hill.

"Yes and it will only work for about a minute, we need to go now!" he hissed and she snapped out of her daze, hurrying up the hill after him. The door to Hogwarts came into view just as they heard a loud howl from behind them followed by the fast padding of footsteps heading toward them. Hermione yelped in terror.

"Don't stop!" Snape yelled from a bit a head of her. "We're almost there!"

Darian was closing in on them. Hermione could hear his loud panting. Snape flung open the large door and quickly ushered Hermione inside. She flew in and immediately slammed it shut, wincing as she heard a loud 'thump' followed by a shrill whining sound.

"Sirius!" she exclaimed. "He'll be fine," Snape interrupted.

They both slumped against the wall. Hermione wiped the sweat that was pouring down her brow.

"Next time you two decide to have a little night stroll, make sure it's not on the night of the full moon!" Snape suddenly roared before falling into a dead faint.

Hermione slumped against the wall, slowly sliding into sitting position. She stayed that way for a while before finally getting up to get Madame Pomfrey.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"But Darian could be anywhere couldn't he? I mean, there was no one to restrain him with Snuffles knocked out. Is it possible that he could've ran away?"

"How would I know, Granger?" Snape mumbled tiredly.

Hermione frowned and looked out the window that was beside the bed she was residing in. Sunlight was streaming through the dozens of windows that littered the Hospital Wing walls. Madame Pomfrey had insisted that she and Snape stay in the Wing for the night. It was now around nine in the morning. Hermione had classes off and Snape's classes were canceled as Madame Pomfrey suddenly decided for them to stay in the Hospital Wing for the day as well.

Dumbledore and Snuffles (who had turned up around one in the morning with no sign of Darian) had been searching the grounds for Darian since six in the morning and had yet to find any results.

Hermione was worried, to put it simply. She really didn't blame Darian for what happened. After all, he had been preoccupied with his wounded father who had suddenly showed up. Besides, no one had gotten hurt (except some minor bruises Snape had gotten).

At that moment, the doors to the Hospital Wing burst open and Dumbledore walked in carrying a bloodied Darian who was wrapped up in his cloak. Hermione gasped and Snape sat up. Snuffles was trailing behind slowly.

Darian had three long scratches that trailed from his face down to his chest. A nasty looking gash was on his forehead and many other gashes littered his body as well as many bite marks. Darian groaned, his now green eyes opening weakly. Hermione tried to get up but Madame Pomfrey snapped at her to stay in bed.

"Where did you find him, Albus?" Snape asked quietly, eyeing his son's torn up form in alarm.

Dumbledore gently lowered Darian onto a bed next to Snape's and Madame Pomfrey began her work. She pulled the curtains around for no one to see and Hermione sighed unhappily.

"I found him beyond the wards," Dumbledore said restlessly.

A ringing silence met the end of his statement. Snape was now paper-white as he stared at the headmaster.

Dumbledore nodded to the unspoken comment. "It is a miracle that no one found him." His face darkened. "No doubt they probably would have killed him or turned him into the Ministry."

"But why?" Hermione whispered, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. "He's just Darian Snape why would anyone want to kill him?"

"Because he's a werewolf, Miss Granger," Dumbledore replied tiredly. "Some wizards and witches are so discriminative about non-humans that they'd rather kill them all off."

"That's terrible!" Hermione exclaimed. "It's unethical! It's inhuman! Why can't they just accept something that's different from them? What is so hard about that?"

Dumbledore shook his head, his white hair gleaming in the sunlight that was flooding through the window. "The world is cruel, Miss Granger, and it just gets worse as long as people like Voldemort are still around."

"Then it always gets worse," Hermione stared at her headmaster with dread. "It will never get better."

Dumbledore nodded as he gazed in Darian's direction sadly.

Snape was quiet as he stared unblinkingly at the curtained off bed. From the foot of the bed, Snuffles let out a soft whine.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Darian! Talk to me! Please!" Hermione ran after the boy and hurried down the many flights of stairs to catch up with him. Darian whirled at her; his expression was one of pain.

"How can you even talk to me after what I almost did?" he whispered, turning away. "I'm a monster. A hideous monster who almost killed his father and best friend!"

Hermione shook her head. "No Darian! You couldn't help it! Snape suddenly showed up and he had just had the Cruciatus cast upon him and you were worried and I was worried and we were both worried and we just forgot!" She finished in one breath, still trying to step in front of Darian to prevent him from leaving.

"Stay away from me, Hermione," Darian said in a hollow voice. "I'll just get you killed…."

Hermione shook her head more violently as visions of a pale Remus telling her and Ron what Darian had attempted…

"NO!!" she yelled suddenly, causing Darian to stop. "Don't you dare say that again Darian Snape or I'll break your neck!" Darian stared at her. "Herm-"

She shoved him up against a wall not to gently. "You listen to me! I've been one of your best friends since we were eleven. I've stuck by you when no one else, not even _Ron_ would and the only time we ever got in a fight was when I was concerned about _your_ safety so don't you even _think_ that I'd abandon you for something as _stupid_ as a life-threatening situation 'cause I've been through those for five years and I'm _not_ about to suddenly care if I die because I want to be with you!!" She stood there with Darian pinned up against the wall as she regained her breath.

Darian stared at her as if she'd grown another head. "What has gotten in to you?" he muttered faintly. She rolled her eyes in annoyance before softening.

"I just…..don't want you to try what you did before when you thought there was no way out," Hermione swallowed and felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't do it again, Darian. Please! Promise me that you'll never, ever try something like that again!" Tears were pouring down her cheeks.

Darian stared at her, amazed that she cared so much about him. How could someone as brilliant as her care about him so much? He didn't understand. Finally, he nodded slowly, suddenly realizing that he couldn't bear it to see her cry.

"Say it," Hermione whispered.

"I promise," Darian whispered back and she gave him a watery smile.

"Er…'Mione?" Darian asked awkwardly.

"Mmm?"

"Could you let me go?"

"Oh right! Sorry," Hermione blushed and immediately released him. He grinned at her while she smiled back and he felt warmth in the pit of his stomach at the sight of her.

Darian still felt in a slight daze when he entered Snape's chambers for another lesson.

Snape frowned at the reverie his son was in and smirked slightly as he yanked out his wand.

"Darian?" he asked curtly.

Darian turned to him. "Hmm?"

"Expelliarmus."

The spell had barely left his wand when it suddenly changed direction and hit him dead on. His wand flew out of his grasp and into Darian's hand.

Darian blinked, snapping out of his daze and stared at the wand that was in his hand. He looked at it in awe before turning to his father, who was also staring at him.

"You did it," Snape whispered as if afraid he would shatter the moment with something above a whisper. Darian nodded numbly. "I….did it?"

Snape cleared his throat and made his way over to Darian's side, where the boy was still staring at the wand. He plucked his wand out of the boy's hand and asked, "What emotion?"

Darian stared at him. All the color seemed to have drained from the boy's face and Snape became faintly worried that he would pass out. "Darian?" he shook the boy's shoulders a little. Darian blinked and said very quietly, as if telling a secret, "Love, I think," the awe in his voice was the most obvious thing as if Darian couldn't believe the words he had just spoken.

Snape didn't seem to get what was so amazing about the situation. Well they never had tried love before. "What memory?"

Darian looked at him again, his color finally returning to normal. "Wasn't a memory," he mumbled. Snape arched an eyebrow. "Alright," he said slowly. "Then what were you thinking, or, should I say, who were you thinking about?"

Darian blushed deeply and Snape felt faintly amused. Oh this was good. The boy was in love. He snorted at the thought. Right, love. As if anyone could really find love at this age. The boy was probably just driven by his teenage hormones, happens all the time with kids this age…. Then again, Snape had first started going out with Lily at this age but…no, what was he thinking? Lily and him had been lucky to find each other at this young of age. Things like that happened very rarely.

"Well?" he prompted.

Darian lowered his dark head and mumbled something.

Snape frowned. "What?"

Another soft mumble. Snape growled in annoyance. "Spit it out, boy!" he snapped.

Darian blushed even more. "…Hermione…" he said very quietly and very slowly.

Snape stared at him. Granger?! He had expected Chang or even Miss Weasley but…..Granger?!! Snape pondered on it. Granger and Darian had been good friends since their first year. They had always been together even when everyone, including Weasley, had gotten pissed at Darian because he wouldn't tell them how he had entered the Triwizard Tournament; she still had stood true to him. Snape frowned. Could it be possible that they were really…. No! Of course not! That was preposterous! Absurd and utterly ridiculous! He glanced at Darian, who had his head lowered to hide the blush.

Darian had taken control of Snape's Expelliarmus energy and in order to do that, the emotion had to be strong, very strong. Could Darian really feel more then just a fondness for Granger? Was it really love? Snape shook his head, feeling the beginnings of a headache. This was why he hated teenagers at this age; they always had to make everything so complicated!

A/N- Er..... #glances up at story# yeah.....well....that last part just kind of wormed its way in, not really sure what to think of it.

Tell me what you think....


	18. Chapter eighteen A bad day in general

Hey everybody! I'm soooo terribly so for the incredibly long wait. Life got in the way. We just found out my grandfather has lung cancer and he has been going through a bunch of treatments of chemo. School isn't any better either and I think I might fail one of my classes because we have such a sucky teacher.

Anyways, I hope you all can forgive me. You know how it is... I promise it will never take this long to update again. I will NEVER abandon any of my stories, trust me. I am just having a major case of writer's block and I'm trying to finish up my other story.

Thanks once again to all my faithful reviewers. You'll never know how good it is to hear a good word about your story unless you actually write one for yourself. I hope this chapter will make up for the too long wait.

Also, it is unbetaed so excuse any gramatic errors.

Chapter eighteen- A bad day in general...

"_Is that all?" a cold voice demanded as pale fingers idly twirled a wand. The robed figure that was currently kneeling nodded his unmasked head._

"_Yes, my Lord," a silky voice spoke quietly, as if afraid that it would be showing disrespect if he spoke any louder. _

_Darian narrowed his eyes at the kneeling figure and smirked inwardly. He smelt fear radiating from the blonde man, as he always did from every one of his Death Eaters; how it should be. _

"_Draco was going to befriend him, my Lord," Lucius continued, struggling to keep the tremor from his voice. "But he insists on disgracing his presence with the mudblood and the blood traitor." He paused to sneer. "Potter's friends."_

"_A Slytherin befriending a Gryffindor?" Darian spat, as if it was the most disgusting thing. _

"_Actually, my Lord, he is a Ravenclaw."_

"_And why wasn't I informed of the house he was put in, Lucius?" Darian whispered, feeling pleasure as the man trembled. _

"_I-"_

"_Cruico!"_

_Darian smirked at the jerking form, the familiar feeling over superiority welled up in him as he watched the Malfoy's features, twisted in pain. It pleased him to know that he controlled the fate of this once proud man, just as he controlled the fate of all of his other Death Eaters. Slaves… that's all they were to him, born to cater to his every desire, if they valued their life, that is. He scowled as blood-curdling screams finally burst from the stubborn man's lips. Pathetic, he thought vaguely as he lifted the curse._

_"As you were," he commanded, once again feeling dominance wash over him as Lucius kissed the hem of his robes, murmuring thanks, before stumbling back into his place in line._

_"My Lord," Bellatrix Lestrange slipped off her mask as she bowed deeply, her eyes glued to the floor. "Forgive me for asking, but Potter is dead…what is stopping us from taking over the Ministry?"_

_Darian scowled, feeling fury rise up in him as he glared down at her. She never could keep her mouth shut._

_"You'd do best to remember you place," he spat as he cast the Cruciatus for the fourth time that night._

_"F-Forgive me….my Lord," she gasped through clenched teeth. He smirked, lifting the curse and she collapsed lifelessly on the floor for a moment._

_"Because, fool," Darian snapped, feeling annoyance rise up in him. "Potter is not dead!"_

_A collective murmur ran through the ring of Death Eaters as they shifted uncomfortably._

_"How can you be s-sure, my Lord?" Bellatrix whispered once she had regained her composure._

_Darian growled, of all the stupid… "Idiot! The prophecy states that 'one shall die at the other's hand.' He can only be killed by me!"_

_"My Lord," Macnair also kneeled briefly as he spoke. "How did you acquire the rest of the prophecy?"_

_Darian smirked, and he felt relief radiate off the Death Eater. "Potter is no better at Occlumency then he was last year, my friends." He looked around at all of them, as they stared expectantly at him. Macnair and Bellatrix had taken their places back in line. "Dumbledore obviously thinks he can hide Potter from me," he drawled, turning to pace for a moment as he usually did when he was in deep thought._

_He turned to sneer at them. "But the old fool didn't cover up his tracks well enough."_

_"What do you mean, my Lord?"_

_His sneer turned into a scowl again. "Tell me, have any of you even taken the time to notice the absence of one certain member?"_

_"Snape," Lucius Malfoy responded immediately, disgust evident in his voice._

_Darian nodded toward the blonde, thankful that he had at least one tactful Death Eater left. "Snape's son is in Draco's year is he not, Lucius?"_

_"Yes, my Lord."_

_"And Snape did stop joining us when this son of his suddenly made an appearance after Harry Potter supposedly died," he stated, glaring at the staring group around him._

_"My Lord," Lucius took off his mask and paled slightly. "Are you saying that Snape is disguising Potter as his son?"_

_"Obviously," Darian snapped impatiently. "I'm surprised it took you so long to figure it out, Lucius. I daresay you are loosing your touch."_

_Lucius paled even more, if possible._

Darian shot awake, his pajamas nearly soaked with sweat as his frantic eyes darted around. He lay there, focusing on taking deep breaths as the dream ran through his head again. All at once, the full impact of what the dream meant seemed to hit him with such a force that he lost control of his breathing again. He sat up, feeling a dizzying spell hit him as he did so. He felt nausea rise up in him at the memory of being Voldemort.

No! He wasn't anything like that monster. He would never put the Cruciatus on another (except maybe Lestrange). Though why had he felt such a thrill of satisfaction as he watched them squirming on the ground, all because of him, he had the power over them...

Darian shook his head forcefully and angrily pushed those emotions aside.

No. That wasn't him thinking; it was Voldemort. He would never feel satisfaction from another's pain, even as he thought about it now, the thought of causing someone so much pain, even (he grudgingly admitted) Lestrange, made him want to retch.

Darian quickly tried to untangle himself from the sheets that were wrapped around him. Loosing his balance, he stumbled out of bed, but was free from the sheets. Darian let his eyes roam over his fellow dorm mates. Terry Boot was snoring loudly, his head hanging off the bed hazardously. Darian grabbed the first robe he could find and slipped it on over his pajamas. He grabbed his wand on instinct and hurried down to the common room and out the door.

Darian glanced around at the dark library and realized, with a sinking sensation, that he had forgotten both his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map. Darian turned to go back but decided that he had wasted too much time.

"Tempus," he muttered quietly, giving his wand a small flick. He was unsure as to whether there were any prefects in the library.

Neon numbers appeared, reading "11:06PM". Darian cursed mentally. Wonderful. He had only gotten about two hours of sleep and he knew he wouldn't be falling asleep again anytime tonight. Shaking his head, he padded silently down the stone halls, not even pausing to check the next corridor for prefects or teachers. He knew his enhanced senses wouldn't fail him.

Darian paused to sniff the air experimentally and, after reassuring himself that it was clear, he hurried over to the stone gargoyle, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"L-Lemon Drops!" he panted. It opened to reveal the revolving staircase. Darian stepped on it just as he registered a familiar scent, and it wasn't Dumbledore.

Darian quickly ran back down the stairs, stumbling on the last one and falling to the ground. Automatically, his hands flew up to protect his face and he winced as his left elbow cracked upon contact.

"Mr. Snape?" came Professor McGonagall's voice.

Darian hissed in pain and tried to get up, stumbling again. He felt a pair of arms pulling him up off the floor and met Professor McGonagall's stern gaze.

"What are you doing out of your dorm at eleven in the evening?" she demanded. Darian winced, nursing his elbow, which was already starting to form a bruise.

"I needed to see the headmaster, mam."

She sighed. "And you couldn't wait until morning, Mr. Snape?"

"No, mam, it was rather important."

Professor McGonagall folded her arms. "Well, he isn't here, Mr. Snape. He received an owl from the ministry and won't be back until morning."

Darian felt annoyance rise up in him. "But this is important!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Snape, but he isn't here and I am not going to interrupt his meeting with the minister!" her voice took on a hard tone. Darian winced and took a step back. She seemed to notice it and looked slightly confused.

"Now, return to your dormitory please, Mr. Snape," she said in a softer tone. Darian paused and heaved a sigh. He nodded and turned down the corridor he had come from. He froze for a moment, making sure that McGonagall was gone before hurrying in the opposite direction, to the only other person who could help him.

Darian shivered, a coldness seeping through his casual robe, just now realizing that he had forgotten to put some slippers on. He hesitated before rapping solidly on the door.

No answer.

He pounded again, louder this time.

Still, no answer.

As he raised his hand to knock again, the door opened to reveal a rather disheveled looking Severus Snape.

"Professor?" Darian asked nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Snape focused his attention on the boy before him. "Darian?" he asked, voice slightly slurred as he reached a hand up to rub the tiredness from his eyes.

"Professor, I had a dream," Darian whispered.

Snape's first motive was to sneer and ask spitefully, "And I can do what about that?" but, surprisingly, his lips didn't move to say the venomous words. His sneer faded as he stared into the boy's pleading emerald eyes. He mentally cursed and told the boy wearily, "Come in."

Darian looked shocked by the sudden invitation. He gave Snape a grateful look before walking in.

Snape tried to sneer again but found that he was far too tired.

Darian stared around the room. The Living Area looked rather...plain, not at all what he would have expected. It wasn't decorated at all. He had expected to see green rugs, black furniture, and silver drapes, or something similar, but instead, there were just the normal stone walls. There was an empty fireplace and instead of the usual stone floors, there were dark hardwood floors, covered by a threadbare tan rug. The mantle above the fireplace was bare. There was only a small bookshelf filled with potions books and, to Darian's amazement, Defense books also. There was one armchair that looked rather ragged, a dark wooded table, and a rather plush looking couch. Other then that, there was nothing else in the sparsely furnished room.

"Sit down before you collapse," Snape's deep baritone broke him out of his reverie.

Darian nodded and sat down on the couch. It was turned to the side, right beside the fireplace with the small table in front of it and the armchair across from the table, so the two occupants would face each other. He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself, wincing as he stretched the bruise on his elbow.

Snape settled himself in the chair. They sat in uncomfortable silence for a minute. Darian stared at his hands for a brief moment before speaking, "He knows I'm me or...that I'm Harry Potter," he whispered dejectedly, as if was his own fault. He didn't need to explain who 'he' was.

Snape jerked suddenly and Darian glanced up at him curiously.

"How do you know?"

"I had a vision."

Snape stared at him. He noticed that the boy was shaking, in fear or coldness, Snape didn't know. Nevertheless, he waved his wand absently and the empty fireplace burst to life. Warmth bathed the room and Darian relaxed slightly.

"What did the Dark Lord say?" Snape asked quietly.

Darian wrapped his arms around himself and raised his haunted gaze to Snape. "Voldemort-"

"Do not say his name!" Snape snapped out of habit.

Darian flinched and quickly looked at his hands. Snape muttered a few obscenities under his breath. He had almost forgotten that the boy had been abused.

"Go on," he urged in a more placid voice. "What did he say?"

Darian swallowed. "He said that I-er Harry Potter couldn't be dead because the prophecy stated that he was the only one who could kill me and he noticed your absence from the Death Eater meetings ever since Darian Snape's arrival and he put two-and-two together to figure that you're disguising me as your son!" Darian said in one breath.

Snape blinked; it took a moment for his exhausted brain to catch up to Darian's words and when it did, he stood up quickly and disappeared into his bedroom. Darian watched him go and felt almost compelled to not follow. After a couple minutes, Snape reappeared.

"Dumbledore is on his way," he told the boy, as he watched the still shaking form on his couch. Darian looked up.

"How did you contact him?"

"That, Mr. Snape, is none of your business," Snape replied evenly.

"Where are we going?" Darian asked as Snape put on his robes.

"To the headmaster's office," the man answered. "He's flooing."

"Why can't he just floo here?"

"Because the headmaster's office fireplace is the only one someone can floo through."

Darian blinked. "But...Remus flooed to your office in my third year."

Snape nodded. "Yes, but now that the second war has started, we cannot risk anything."

They started out the door and Snape eyed the pale boy out of the corner of his eye. Darian was still shaking. Obviously that dream had had more of an effect on him then Snape had thought. The boy looked as if he were about to faint. Snape turned to him and asked the question that he'd been wondering since Darian had come.

"Why did you come to me?"

Darian looked up to meet Snape's uncertain eyes. "What?"

"Why did you come to me?"

Darian shook his head. "Because you were the only one who knows my real identity."

"And Lupin?"

Darian froze for an instant. Truthfully, he hadn't even thought about going to Remus. Remus, who he trusted as much as he did Ron and Hermione. Remus, who was like a second Godfather to him. And he hadn't even thought of going to him. His first thought was to go directly to Snape for some reason. Because he knew Snape could help him...Snape would help him.

He swallowed, "I-I really didn't think of Remus, sir." He whispered, looking at the floor. "You were the first one who popped into my mind when I found out Dumbledore was gone."

Snape stared at Darian, an unreadable expression on his face. He turned and continued the trek to the headmaster's office. Darian sighed and followed.

Dumbledore was already seated behind his desk when Darian and Snape walked in. He nodded to the two of them.

"Darian, Severus, please have a seat."

Darian sat, and immediately started apologizing. "I'm sorry, Professor. I didn't mean to interrupt your meeting I just-"

"Darian," Dumbledore cut in gently. "There is no need to apologize. I assure you, I am most grateful to be out of there." Darian blinked and nodded slowly as he recognized the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes.

"Now," Dumbledore's tone turned serious. "Severus tells me that you had a vision. Could you tell me exactly what happened, child?"

Darian was too exhausted both mentally and physically to be insulted by being called 'child' as he started to recall his dream, taking care to explain every detail that he could remember.

Dumbledore stayed silent through his recollection, but Snape would often open his mouth to say something or make a noise of disgust in which Dumbledore would always silence him with a look. Dumbledore sat back, stroking his beard as Darian finished.

"We could use this to our advantage," his gaze swung to Severus. "Tom still believes that we think that he doesn't know Darian is Harry."

Darian shifted slightly, feeling uncomfortable.

"Darian? What's the matter?" Dumbledore asked in concern. Darian looked up to meet Dumbledore's blue eyes, but looked back down as he remembered Occlumency.

"Is there something you aren't telling us, Darian?"

Darian lowered his head but said nothing. Snape and Dumbledore exchanged glances.

"Darian," Snape's voice rang through his ears. He looked up at them before sighing and giving in.

"Professors...in my dream...I was Voldemort."

Silence met the end of his statement. "I felt everything I...he did to them. It was like I was casting the curses."

Dumbledore looked grave. "And did you enjoy that feeling, Darian?" he asked softly.

Darian looked ashamed, he felt as if he were being shrinked. "I..." he faltered, his mind working in overdrive. 'They're going to think you're nuts,' a voice in the back of his head told him. 'No they won't,' another said. 'Just tell them, they'll understand.'

"Yes..." he whispered and put his face in his hands, shaking. "I did," came his muffled voice. He lifted his face to stare at his two professors. "But it wasn't me, I swear! I could never feel like that about someone else's pain! It was Voldemort. I was feeling his satisfaction, his happiness..." he faltered again, realizing how crazy he must sound.

Dumbledore looked sad but Snape looked shocked. He was paler then usual as he stared unblinkingly at Darian. Darian felt a knife cut through his heart. 'He thinks I'm a loony,' he thought vaguely. 'He thinks I'm crazy. My own father thinks I'm crazy.' Darian looked down at his hands, feeling a familiar burning sensation in the back of his eyes.

"Darian?" Dumbledore asked gently. Darian looked up, feeling his mouth go dry. "Why don't we start up Occlumency again? You need to defend your mind against him. It is no longer just an extra convenience you could have, it is a necessity." The serious tone in Dumbledore's voice made a shiver go up Darian's spine.

Snape started. "Why hasn't this come as a surprise to you?" he snapped to the headmaster. "Has this happened before? Has he had a vision where he feels what the Dark Lord feels? I know he has had dreams that he is the Dark Lord but don't tell me he can feel what that monster feels!"

Dumbledore sighed and looked at Darian, who lowered his head farther. "Yes, Severus, it has happened before, but rarely."

Snape sat back in his chair, looking as if he'd just been shot.

"Darian, I am sorry that I can't teach you. I have been far to busy." Darian nodded and looked over at the old man before looking at Snape, who had an unreadable look on his face.

"Severus?" Dumbledore inquired softly. Snape looked at him before looking at Darian. Their eyes met for a moment and Darian thought he saw a flash of worry as he looked into the dark eyes.

Snape stared at Darian for a moment before mentally groaning.

"We'll start Occlumency at your next session with me," he said grudgingly. Dumbledore smiled.

"Excellent, Severus! You two will need to start very soon and please, Severus, don't loose your temper. We don't want a repeat of last year."

Both Snapes flinched.

&&&&&&&&&&&

"Hogsmeade is this weekend," Hermione said at dinner that Friday. She and Ron were at the Ravenclaw table this time. Ron and Lisa were already stuffing their faces.

Darian nodded as he slowly ate his potatoes, his thoughts elsewhere. Ever since that lesson with Snape a week ago, he had been making amazing progress. Though of course still not strong enough to repel powerful spells such as the Unforgivables but it was better then the horrible progress he had been making before. It was almost as if all Darian had to think about was Hermione and he could take control of Snape's spells. He blushed deeply and swallowed the mouthful of potatoes.

There really wasn't much to say about Occlumency though. He and Snape had mostly worked on developing Darian's 'power' last lesson. They had tried Occlumency once, which had ended with Snape cursing rather colorfully and Darian retching violently on the floor after reliving one of Vernon's more brutal beatings. Darian flinched at the memory. He had been trying to clear his head every night, though he didn't think he was doing it right even after Snape explained how he was supposed to do it.

"So what are we going to do?" Hermione's voice cut through his thoughts. Ron looked up from his plate and said nothing for a moment. Lisa tried saying something but it was barely understandable due to the pot roast that was in her mouth.

Hermione rolled her eyes in a similar way she did to Ron. "Okay, Lisa, now try saying that without your mouth full." Darian snickered quietly. Lisa glanced questioningly at Ron, who merely shrugged in response, before swallowing the food loudly and wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

Hermione made a face. "Disgusting," she muttered quietly.

"I said I don't have any plans but it's supposed to snow this weekend so we should definitely go to the Three Broomsticks." She took another bit of her roast. "It always snows after Halloween."

The Halloween feast really had been disappointingly uneventful. Darian had been half-expecting to hear the news of someone letting a troll in or being invited to a Deathday party or Sirius being found once again in the castle…. Halloween was never uneventful, _everything_ happened on Halloween.

"We always go to the Three Broomsticks; it won't be anything new," Ron complained.

Lisa shrugged. "You and Hermione always have but I never go to Hogsmeade unless I need something. Plus, I suppose Darian would love to go as well." She turned to him. "You ever been to Hogsmeade?"

Darian shook his head without hesitation. "No, but at my old school, we did go to a wizarding village but I heard it wasn't near as good as Hogsmeade."

"Nothing is as good as Hogsmeade, mate," Ron spoke up, playing along. "They serve the best butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks and then there's Honeydukes, which has the best chocolate in the world and the joke shop, Zonko's." He grinned and said quietly. "But I bet Fred 'n George's shop'll run them out of business before long."

Darian smiled, mentally agreeing with him.

"The usual then?" Hermione asked Ron, who shrugged, "I suppose."

&&&&&&&&&&

"Now I don't need to inform you all that these Hogsmeade visits are a privilege which can and will be taken away," Professor McGonagall preached as Lisa, Darian, Hermione, and Ron lined up with other students. "For those of you who haven't been to Hogsmeade yet," she paused, her eyes drifting over the third years to Darian, who avoided her stern gaze. "I expect you to act your age as you are representing your school with your behavior. Do I make myself clear?"

There were only a couple of murmurs of agreement. It seemed to satisfy Professor McGonagall as she gave a nod and stepped aside so Filch could check them off.

"Snape, eh?" he croaked when Darian said his name. Filch eyed him for a moment. "For your sake you best be less trouble then your father was," was all he said before turning to Hermione.

"Well, that was odd," Hermione said as the four of them climbed into a carriage.

"Yeah, really," Lisa agreed, sweeping her windswept hair into a bun. "Usually Filch gives new kids hell before going to Hogsmeade."

Darian shrugged. "Maybe he's afraid of my father," he thought aloud.

"Wicked!" Ron exclaimed suddenly. "Maybe you can blackmail him into giving Malfoy detention."

"Or you can get me out of the detention I have with him tonight," Lisa continued hopefully.

"Honestly, you two!" Hermione scoffed. "Even if Filch was afraid of Snape I doubt Snape would be happy that we were using him as blackmail material."

"That is, _if_ Filch tells Snape," Ron grinned.

"He'll probably find out anyway," Darian muttered dryly. "Then I'd be grounded for the rest of my life which, by the way, I believe he's been looking for an excuse to do for a long time now."

"Maybe he wouldn't," Lisa piped up. "I mean, blackmailing is the Slytherin thing to do and you know how Snape adores his Slytherins."

The carriage pulled to a stop and they hurried out to beat the wave of children getting out of the other carriages.

"Over….here…mate," Ron gasped as they shoved through the growing crowd.

Darian felt suddenly very nauseas at the many people shoving him in every direction. He couldn't stand crowds and briefly wondered how he had grown claustrophobic. Just as he felt his head begin to pound, someone grabbed him and yanked him out the onslaught of the mob.

"Thanks," he panted to Ron and took a moment to regain his breathing.

"What's wrong, Darian?" Hermione pushed her way through the throng of people.

He gave her a wry grin. "I think I'm claustrophobic."

She looked sympathetic as they crossed the threshold into Honeyduke's. "Well that's not good."

"It never is," he muttered back, walking up to a large shelf to inspect the Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans.

"Cockroach Cluster?" Lisa offered, nearly shoving it into his face.

Darian pushed it away, feeling his stomach roll again. "No….thank you."

"Oh come on, I bet you haven't even tried them."

"Nor do I have any urge to."

She scowled. "You're too sarcastic," she grumbled, placing the Clusters back on the shelf. "How about a Pumpkin Pasty?"

Darian walked farther down the shelf before she could shove those in his face also. He had lost his taste for Pumpkin Pasties along with Cauldron Cakes and Licorice Wands some time during the summer. For some reason he really couldn't stand many sweets except for his more personal favorites, namely Chocolate Frogs or Every Flavored Beans or even (though he'd take this secret to his grave) Lemon Drops.

"Oh come on! Everyone likes Pumpkin Pasties!" she called after him, attracting the attention of almost every other person in the store.

"She really can be annoying," Darian muttered to Hermione as he picked up a box of Chocolate Frogs. "It's like she doesn't know when to quit."

Hermione smiled. "You need to lighten up and realize that it's okay to joke around sometimes."

Darian glared at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," she answered quickly, suddenly becoming very interested in inspecting a pack of gum that turned your teeth green. "You've just been so serious lately. If you would just relax then you wouldn't feel so stressed."

"Well it's kind of hard to when you've lived a lie your whole life, a madman wants to kill you, your father hates you, and you have to turn into a monster every month," Darian whispered through gritted teeth.

"Oh stop being so negative," Hermione said turning to him. "Sirius is alive, that's one thing that you should be happy for."

"I am!"

"I know you are, but you take the things you have for granted."

"Not as much as some people do."

"But nevertheless, you need to realize that your life isn't always about Voldemort chasing you or Snape disliking you or even you turning into a werewolf every month," Hermione went on quickly before he could interrupt. "You live your life because of the good times, Darian, not the bad. That's what you need to realize. You need to appreciate the good times that you have; the things that make the bad times worth facing."

Darian stared at her.

"Be grateful that you have what you have. Be grateful that you have a living parent, and that you still have Ron and Lisa……and me," Hermione blushed.

Darian blinked and opened his mouth to respond when an odd scent struck him. He froze for an instant and turned to the entrance of the store but didn't see anyone out of the ordinary.

"What's wrong?"

Darian ignored Hermione's question and slowly walked to the door, looking outside at the busy street of Hogsmeade. He reached out a hand to push the glass door open, briefly noting the chiming bell as he stepped outside, his green eyes taking in every detail. Carefully he took in a deep breath, examining each scent with caution until he recognized one. But….this one wasn't supposed to be here, he could feel it.

"Darian?"

He shushed her and closed his eyes concentrated duly on the scent. It was so familiar but he couldn't place exactly whose it was. Obviously he hadn't seen this person since he had became a werewolf or his senses would immediately register the smell, and he began to sift through his memories as Harry Potter to find a matching source, thinking mainly about the Department of Mysteries.

He flinched at the memory. No, it wasn't Voldemort or else his scar would be hurting. It smelled vaguely of a properly groomed person, giving Darian the impression of someone who took great care in their appearance. But….there was something else; the scent gave off an air of arrogance, of superiority, as if he or she believed themselves better then anyone around.

Wait. Darian froze. There was one person who fit that description perfectly. But why would he be here? Unless…

Oh shit.

Darian's eyes snapped open and he immediately traced the alleyways with his eyes and saw them. Black robes, white masks.

"It's a Death Eater attack!" he roared at the top of his lungs, at the same time turning around to shove Hermione down just as a violet spell went crashing into the window of Honeydukes. Then, they flooded onto the streets. There were at least a dozen, all of them with their wands poised.

For a moment, it seemed that no one could register what was happening and then, all at once, chaos reigned. There were screams of fright and pain as the hoard of people shoved their way up the street, away from the Death Eaters but there were too many of them, and all they managed to achieve was to cause more damage in the roar of confusion.

"Go!" Darian yelled, picking Hermione up off the ground. "Into Honeydukes!"

Ron and Lisa, who had been on either side of them, were violently shoved out of the way as a large throng of people piled into the shop.

"Ron!" Darian yelled reaching out to grab his hand and drag him back toward the entrances while Hermione did the same with Lisa.

They shoved through the crowd only to find the doors of Honeydukes closed, and obviously warded. Lisa let out a scream of outrage as she clawed at the wood. "Let us in!" she shrieked, banging on the doors. But they didn't budge, nor did the people inside take pity on them and open the doors. It was amazing what fear would do to people.

"Through the window!" Hermione called, gesturing at the now shattered display window. Darian grabbed both her and Ron's forearm and drug them through the panic, nearly stumbling over a little boy that looked about the age of three who was sobbing for his mother.

"It's warded!" Ron announced pounding against what seemed like an invisible wall. Darian peered in to see the mass of people all jumbled into the small shop. It seemed impossible to fit even a feather into the overcrowded building.

"We need to go!" Darian yelled over the roar of fear. "There's no way any of us could even fit in there." As he spoke he glanced at the little boy who was being trampled by a small group of fourth years. He looked around, trying to see if there was anyone coming for the boy.

Ron, Hermione, and Lisa managed to shove their way through the stream of people to an open spot. "Down there!" Ron shouted to them, pointing to an empty alleyway.

"No way! That's the easiest place for them to get us!" Lisa yelled.

"You got a better plan?" Darian answered for Ron. "The crowd's to strong, we won't be able to make it back to school on foot…." As he trailed off he suddenly remembered the Shrieking Shack. "Come on!" he shoved them through the alley. "We need to get to the Shack!"

"The Shrieking Shack?" Lisa called back.

"Is there any other one?"

"But it's haunted!"

Darian's patience seemed to snap. "Do you want to die or not!" he roared, making her jump.

He watched his three friends hurry down nearly abandoned alley and glanced uncertainly at the little boy.

"We can't leave him," Hermione said suddenly and he gave her a jerky nod before pushing through the mob. He paused, glancing unsurely at the crying boy before quickly making up his mind as a green spell flashed before his eyes. He picked up the boy, marveling at how light he was, before hurrying back over to Hermione, trying not to think about exactly who was on the receiving end of the Killing Curse.

'God help us all,' he thought briefly before they began their trek to the Shack.

"It's this way," Hermione informed as they came to a fork. It was much quieter now that they weren't directly in the middle of Hogsmeade though the screams and shouts from the people only a few hundred feet away were still very coherent.

Darian hushed her. "Not so loud; they're could be a few patrolling the exits." He winced as a woman's scream rang out shrilly above the jumble of noise behind him. Ron turned a pasty white and Hermione clamped her hands over her ears, tears glittering in her eyes.

For a moment, Darian was tempted to turn around and go back, to help those poor people in hopes of saving at least one person but then he remembered that he was Darian Snape now, and a Ravenclaw. Ravenclaws were smart; they didn't act foolishly like Gryffindors did. The boy was still in his arms, which were starting to cramp.

"No, it's this way," Lisa whispered back, going left.

"That's the way back to Hogwarts," Hermione snapped. "You know that!"

"No I didn't," Lisa hissed back. "I told you I haven't been here that much!"

"Nevertheless, only an idiot would think that that's the way to the Shrieking Shack when there was a sign back there that said different!"

Lisa smirked. "Signs don't say anything, Hermione; they inform you in means of words. Only an idiot wouldn't know that."

"This isn't the time to be joking around!" Darian growled, rounding on her. "People are out there dying and all you can do is sit there and make jokes about stuff that doesn't even matter!" He shifted the boy in his arms. "Do you understand? This is real; this is really happening. There is a large possibility that we could die as well and an even larger possibility that our classmates are either dead or close to it!"

"I was just trying to lighten the mood," she said defensively. "Jeez, forgive me if I've never been in the middle of a Death Eater attack and I don't know how to act like everyone else here does."

Darian froze. "What, exactly, is that supposed to mean?" he murmured through gritted teeth.

Lisa merely looked at him with an arched eyebrow for a moment. "You know what it means. Don't think I'm an idiot, Darian, to think that you were born and raised in China when you don't even have an accent and that you were put in an orphanage when you had a father."

"So what are you saying?" Darian asked coolly. "That I was really raised by my father the whole time? That he trained me to be a Death Eater, is that it?"

"Darian," Hermione sounded anxious as she glanced around. "She wasn't saying that." She paused and waited for Lisa to nod in agreement. "Er….are you?" she asked uncertainly when Lisa didn't move.

"How did you know there was a Death Eater attack?" Lisa asked hotly.

"We really need to get going," Hermione said in panic.

"I used my eyes to see people in black robes with white masks," Darian said as if he were talking to a small child.

"Come on, mate," Ron said weakly, his freckles standing out prominently against his white face. "They might be coming-"

"You knew they were going to attack beforehand didn't you?" Lisa said suspiciously.

"How would I have? And better yet, if I had known then why did I warn everyone before it happened?" Darian asked furiously. In the back of his mind, he knew they should be going. The boy had stopped crying and was now looking around in fear at the town behind them. He found it strange that the young boy hadn't spoken yet.

"Darian!" Hermione tugged at his sleeve, looking terrified. "Please, we can talk about this later!"

Darian registered her words but he couldn't help but feel an enormous wave of anger at Lisa. How could she even think of him as a Death Eater? Did she honestly think that he would kill or torture anyone after being friends for the last couple of months?

"You tell me!" Lisa shot back, her voice rising. She ignored Hermione attempts to quiet her. "You knew about it didn't you? Maybe not the whole time but you did know about the attack a couple minutes before it happened, didn't you?"

Darian stared at her for a moment. He felt a weight rise off his chest slightly. She seemed to be pointing away from he being a Death Eater at that point, but was drawing close to him being a werewolf. "Yes," he breathed quietly. "I did and, no I am not going to tell you how. You'll just have to trust me."

Lisa stared at him with hard eyes for a couple of minutes but said nothing. She let out a forceful breath through her nose, making a loud whooshing sound before whipping around and striding down the right path.

Darian sighed and looked over at his two best friends, who were both staring wearily back at him. He paused before slowly easing the boy onto the ground.

"What's your name?" he asked gently. Hermione walked over to him and peered down at the boy also.

The boy had straight, perfectly parted chestnut hair with light blue eyes. He looked so innocent and Darian couldn't help but feel a twinge in his heart. One so young shouldn't have to witness something like this.

"A-Aiden," he murmured shyly, staring at the ground as he absently kicked a rock. He wore a small dark blue robe that was caked with dirt. "Do you know where my mommy is?" he asked them in a tiny voice.

Hermione glanced at Ron, who was frowning. Lisa was a few feet away from them, observing the scene quietly.

"What's your mommy's name?" Hermione asked softly, squatting down next to Darian so she was level with the boy.

He sniffed and rubbed his eyes with his small fists. "I don't know," he whined, looking helpless.

Hermione nodded slowly. It wasn't too awfully unusual for one so young to not know their parents' names. "Do you know where you live, Aiden?"

Aiden nodded vigorously. "In a big white house with a red door." He paused. "And we have a fence to and….and we live by a brown house."

Ron blinked. "Okay," he said slowly. "Er…sound familiar to you?" he asked Darian and Hermione sheepishly. Hermione elbowed him.

Darian sighed dismissively. "We need to go; we've wasted too much time." He glanced at the boy once more before asking in a softer tone, "Do you know what your last name is?"

Hermione shook her head. "He probably wouldn't know that, Darian, if he doesn't even know his mother's name…" But no sooner then she had said that did Aiden say quietly, "Fudge."

&&&&&&&&&&

"I must say, Severus, you have a very intelligent boy," Flitwick commented as he stirred his cherry syrup soda.

Severus made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat as he eyed his untouched gillywater. Dumbledore had drug him along to have a drink with the professors. Dumbledore was currently sipping his butterbeer enthusiastically, his eyes twinkling brilliantly.

"I have to agree," Minerva nodded, also sipping on a butterbeer. "Why, he was the first one to transfigure his chair into a cat, and he even made it a bobcat." The other professors looked impressed.

"I know you were rather well at transfiguration when you were younger, Severus," she went on. "But where on earth did he get his charms work? If I'm not mistaken, you had to be tutored by Lily Evans in Charms."

Filius nodded vaguely. "He's a natural," he said, proud of his new star pupil.

"He should've been a Gryffindor," Minerva muttered before taking another swallow of butterbeer.

Severus looked up sharply, hating to admit how close she was to the truth. He turned back to his water, as if waiting for it to grow wings and fly away. At first when Minerva and Filius commented on how well Darian excelled in their classes, Severus felt a sharp flare of pride for the boy but now he was almost used to it.

"You haven't said a thing about his potion making ability," Sprout spoke up. "I suspect he's also a natural in that."

Severus couldn't suppress a slight upturn of his lips though he immediately turned it into a scowl. The boy was actually getting to be rather decent in potions, though not good enough for a Potion's Master like Severus himself, but Darian was definitely up to standards with Granger. Though he loathed admitting it, Darian probably would have made better grades in his previous years if Severus hadn't been badgering him every three minutes.

"Granger and him will make quite a pair," Minerva breathed, looking pensive. Severus's head shot up.

"Excuse me?" he said a bit dryly. So he wasn't only imagining it; there was something going on between the two of them.

"Could you imagine how brilliant those two's children would be?" Dumbledore spoke up, smiling widely at the Potion's Master.

Severus nearly choked on his gillywater he had been attempting to drink. Darian and Hermione? Married? Children! He threw a floored look at his colleges. Was this what they usually talked about on Hogsmeade trips? Did they always try to predict their children's lives? He mentally snorted. Why did that not surprise him? He wouldn't even be the least bit astonished if they made wagers as well.

"Don't worry, Severus," Minerva said shortly. "It's just hearsay and nothing we say here leaves this table."

Snape glared at her but downed the water in one gulp. "I'm surprised Trelawny does not decide to join you in your pathetic attempts at foresight," he said wryly.

"Oh come now Severus-" But whatever else Dumbledore was about to say was abruptly cut short by the rather loud uproar from outside.

"What's happening, Albus?" Minerva asked as they stood up and walked out the doors to see the street overflowing with terrified people. Her question was answered as at least five green jets of light flew by them, followed by at least a dozen black clad figures with white masks.

"Death Eater attack!" Sprout yanked her wand out and the others did the same though Dumbledore was already raising his.

"The students!" Minerva exclaimed suddenly. "We have to find the students!"

Dumbledore nodded as he thrust his wand toward one of the Death Eaters. A jet of purple light issued from the wand and the Death Eater fell as if he had been coiled tightly with invisible ropes.

"Split up!" he roared above the screams and shouts of their fellow wizards. "Get them to shelter before you search for any others or take them with you. Hurry!"

Severus took the path toward Honeydukes. As he shoved his way through the forceful crowd, he scanned each face, his breath quickening when he didn't see any of the students. What if they were taken hostage? A cold dread filled his stomach. Dumbledore would do anything for a student and the Dark Lord knew that. He grabbed the doorknob to Honeydukes and gave it a hard tug only to find that it was locked and, apparently, warded. Cursing, he rose his wand to break through the ward when he noticed that the display widow was broken.

He quickly stepped over the many shards of glass and peered into the shop noting, with an enormous wave of relief, that there were at least twenty students piled in with over a dozen adults. Sighing, he waved his wand and sent a transparent, silver phoenix into the air to inform the other teachers of the students he had found.After carefully checking the wards on the broken window and door (and throwing on a few of his own wards) he continued down the street only to realize that he hadn't seen any one of four particular students who he had specifically heard them saying they were going to the sweet shop.

Snape froze; his heart seemed to stop for a full minute before he flew back to the sweet shop, staring into the broken window as he tried desperately to find any one of them. But they weren't there. Not one.

He had received a phoenix from Minerva and Albus, telling him that they'd found over half of the students piled into Zonko's, which was one of the largest shops in Hogsmeade. There were even a few stragglers at the Owl Post Office. Had they been taken? His heart skipped a beat as he remembered Darian's words, "He knows I'm me….or that I'm Harry Potter."

Shit.

He glanced into the Hog's Head, Madame Puddifoot's, the Apothecary, cursing each time he failed to see the familiar faces, adding to the fire of panic that had swelled dramatically to the point where he felt weak, almost numb.

Dazedly, he waved his wand in the air and sent out the phoenix again, but with a different message.

Lisa Turpin, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Darian Snape were missing….

&&&&&&&&

Ron blinked. "Fudge?" he croaked, shooting a look at Darian and Hermione.

Hermione cleared her throat and turned to the green-eyed boy. "He's probably related to Minister Fudge. Maybe Fudge is his father or something," she said quietly to the young werewolf.

Darian frowned. "Fudge seems a little to old to have a son of three or four."

"You know Grandpa?" Aiden exclaimed in excitement. "You really know him?"

Ron mouthed 'Grandpa!' to Darian, who rolled his eyes. "Is your grandfather the minister, Aiden?" he asked, careful to say it slowly.

Aiden nodded. "Yep!" he said proudly.

"I never thought Fudge was that old," Hermione murmured in thought.

Darian shrugged. "Must've gotten comfortable a bit too young," he muttered very quietly, though Ron heard him and snickered.

"Well this is just peachy!" Lisa walked back over.

"Done sulking?" Darian asked bitingly. She ignored him.

"We don't have any adults with us, there is a Death Eater attack going on, and to top it all off, we are stuck with the minister's grandson!" she yelled in frustration.

"Lisa, hush!" Hermione hissed.

"Don't hush me! You all may be used to this but I'm not! And I say we find an adult."

"We don't need any adults," Ron said tiredly. "All they'll do is tell us to stay calm, which will only rile us up more."

"Interesting logic," Darian said thoughtfully. Ron grinned.

"They'll protect us," Lisa folded her arms. "Or have you forgotten that they are more highly trained then us?"

"We haven't," Darian said, shrugging again. "We just don't need them as much as you think."

"You should have been in Gryffindor!" Lisa huffed. "You're way to cocky and arrogant."

Darian scowled as Ron and Hermione made a fuss to defend their house.

"I just said that we didn't need them as much as you think," Darian said very slowly, his fist clenched tightly in fury. "We aren't helpless, you know. We are sixth years."

"Which means that we still have almost two years of training to complete," she protested.

"But we've got almost five and a half years under our belt!" Hermione snapped back.

"Yeah, we're not helpless!" Ron agreed defiantly.

"Hush, all of you," Darian whispered. He had heard something. For a moment, everyone froze. Aiden looked around with wide eyes, moving so that he was behind Darian. He obviously seemed to trust the person who had carried him away from all those horrible screams.

"What-" Lisa began but was cut off as Darian shouted, "Get down!" and dropped to the ground as a blue curse went whizzing by his head.

There were three Death Eaters, all of them with their wands fixed firmly on them. Darian backed up slowly, his eyes flickering to Aiden and his friends. He growled, feeling viciousness rising up within him, threatening to consume his mind. How dare these people threaten his friends?

"Darian," Hermione was suddenly right behind him. "Relax," she hissed in his ear. "Your eyes are amber…they'll know…"

Darian blinked and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he struggled to regain control. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he used it as his anchor to control.

Unfortunately, one of the Death Eaters seemed to think that her gesture of comfort had meant the beginnings to a curse, because he immediately waved his wand in a complicated pattern before a violent streak when cutting through the air.

Still in a minor daze, Darian's brain didn't seem to register what was happening and it wasn't until Hermione screamed that he snapped back into action. He briefly had time to think that the spell looked very familiar before collided into him, slicing through his robes and into his chest with the force of a charging hippogrif.

He careened backwards, his feet actually coming off the ground for a split second until he smashed into Ron.

"Darian!" Hermione screamed, but didn't have time to run over when Ron cried, "Hermione, look out!"

A bright red curse issued from a wand and she dropped to the ground as it sailed over her head.

Darian dimly felt Ron gently helping him up. His chest and abdomen stung as if a hundred bees were stinging him and he dazedly felt something warm soaking his robes and trickling down his head.

"Hey, mate," Ron whispered. "You okay?"

His only response was to be shoved down as the green curse missed his head by inches. Darian wiped the blood that had reached his eyes and drew in a sharp breath. That had been the Killing Curse. For an instant, he froze up and the only thing he could think of was if one of those curses happened to hit one of his friends.

Gritting his teeth, Darian swayed slightly before standing up again. "Go!" he yelled to them.

"No, we're not-"

"Yes you are now go!" he roared.

A couple of silvery strands fell from the mask of the front Death Eater. Lucius Malfoy. Darian could almost see the smirk behind his mask.

"That's him," he said to his two companions. "Darian Snape."

Malfoy walked up to them, his wand still trained on Hermione. Neither teenager had their wands out. "Darian Snape," he said cordially. "Our master expresses his interest in you." He paused to take off his mask, revealing a sickly white face with gaunt eyes. "That is usually considered an honor here."

"To me, it's considered an insult," Darian growled before he could stop himself. Immediately he cursed every Gryffindor trait he had, even bravery. The wolf was rising again.

Malfoy's face twisted into a grimace. "You are making a big mistake, Snape," he hissed. "If you are in the master's favor, then you won't have to worry about your dear father being attacked every time he exits the doors of Hogwarts."

"Well I suppose that means he won't be going outside much doesn't it?" Darian replied coldly.

"You insolent, little…!" he broke off and smiled. "Have it your way. Culter!"

The Knife Curse, a very dark curse that could cause excessive bleeding that could be fatal. But he was ready this time, and though he didn't have time to get his wand, he did have one other defense. He just hoped his lessons with Snape had paid off.

Darian stared at the black streak streaking toward him and cleared his mind of all emotions, thinking only of Hermione, Ron, Sirius, and Remus. Feelings of fondness and love welled up in him and he projected it forward, thrusting it directly at the curse.

For an instant, he was afraid that it didn't work. But then, just as the spell reached him, it backtracked, almost folding into itself before striking Malfoy in the chest.

Two things happened at once after that. One: the other two Death Eaters flung two Cruciatus's at Darian and two: Snape came out of nowhere, looking both furious and determined.

Snape made a sharp jab with his wand, which struck one of the Cruciatus's, causing it to dissipate into nothingness. The other continued to speed toward him and Darian was far to worn out to try and stop it.

It collided into him and he was amazed to realize that it didn't hurt nearly as bad as when Voldemort had cast it upon him, though that wasn't saying much. It lasted only for a second before the pain left him, leaving his body worn and shaking. Darian felt strong arms yank him upright, though his suddenly weak legs gave out from under him.

Someone cursed, the voice sounding vaguely familiar. There was suddenly a burst of noise as other wizards arrived at the scene, most of them dressed in ministry uniforms, but it was too late as Malfoy took out a portkey (a box of chocolate frogs) and grabbed hold of his companions before tapping his wand on the box. In an instant they were gone.

Darian swayed as Snape pulled him up again. He suddenly felt very weak, as if someone was draining his energy away with a vacuum. He collapsed once again in his father's arms.

Briefly, he heard Hermione shriek and her hurried footsteps padding over to them.

"Back away, Granger!" Snape snapped as he hoisted Darian up, keeping him upright with an arm around his shoulders. Hermione stepped out of the way but took care to stay behind the two in case her professor lost his gripping on Darian again.

Darian felt pain sear through him and his breathing hitched, causing him to collapse once again. Hermione and Ron took each of his arms this time, but Darian found that he really couldn't hold his attention to them much longer as the stinging pain increased. He felt himself being passed again back to Snape as the man muttered something to the two teenagers.

Dimly, he heard an unfamiliar voice exclaim, "Great Merlin, the minister's grandson is here as well!" There were murmurs of relief, and he could hear Dumbledore talking solemnly with what looked to be the head of the aurors. He smiled as they approached.

"How are feeling, Darian?" he asked, dismissing the auror silently as he turned his attention to his student. Darian felt irritation well up in him.

"That," Darian snapped heatedly. "Is a stupid question." He felt Snape stiffen in disapproval but the man remained silent.

Dumbledore ignored the tone and carefully bent down to examine the long cut ranging from his shoulder to his abdomen. He took out his wand and gave it a small flick, emitting the gash in a blue glow.

"Shouldn't he go to the Hospital Wing, Albus?" Snape growled, his tone suggesting that it was obvious.

Dumbledore sighed and stood up. "Poison," he said simply.

Snape was silent for a moment. "What kind?" he asked gruffly.

"I'm not quite sure yet, but knowing Death Eaters, it could be fatal."

Darian let out a bitter laugh, swaying dangerously again. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Professors. I can only be killed by Voldemort and Malfoy may be a bastard but he is no Voldemort."

The two wizards looked at him wearily. "Let's get him to the Wing," Dumbledore spoke after a moment. Snape nodded and continued to half drag him, half carry him to the carriage as Darian drunkenly struggled to walk.

A/N- Okay, I'm not quite sure how this chapter went.

Tell me what you think...

Thanx


	19. Chapter nineteen Goodbye, Draco

Hey everyone. I know, I know...it's been forever. I had a job this summer as well as the sixth book coming out and the finishing of my other story (finally).

I've already started the next chap for this story so it will not be as long. I know I said that last time but there's a lot of things going on as of now.

This story isn't close to being finished, even with the arrival of the sixth book. It is now AU, as you know and I am going to continue it. Thanks once again to everyone whose been so patient and here is the next chapter.

Chapter nineteen- Goodbye, Draco

Darian exited the Hospital Wing the next morning with a chattering Hermione. Word had gotten out that he had saved the minister's grandson and though Darian had no idea what was so unusual about it, he was once again the center of attention. Madame Pomfrey had identified the poison easily as the Meager Force Poison, which was mainly an extremely strong weakening potion that had been used as distractions in the first war against Voldemort. Luckily, it hadn't been fatal, not that it would have mattered.

"It was really amazing though. Out of all the chaos that was going on, only a few students sustained some minor injuries," Hermione was saying. "You were the one with the severest injuries, actually."

Darian shrugged. "How did they manage to save all of the students?"

"Well, Professor Dumbledore told us that most of all the students had already barricaded themselves with a bunch of adults in the shops. He was actually congratulating them on it last night." Hermione paused for a moment. "Plus, I think the Death Eaters weren't really interested in them anyways."

"Yeah," Darian muttered sullenly. "It was me they were after. Voldemort knows I'm Harry Potter, Hermione, remember?"

Hermione blanched but said nothing, obviously having forgotten. For a moment they were silent as they passed a group of fourth years lingering by Remus's classroom. They didn't bother to lower their voices as Darian and Hermione passed.

"_Saved the minister's grandson, he did."_

"_Probably just trying to get on Dumbledore and the Ministry's good side."_

"_Yeah, it's only a matter of time before he really starts to show his true colors."_

"Just ignore them," Hermione said as she glared at the fourth years. "They don't know what they're talking about."

"Hermione," Darian said weakly. "Is everybody reacting like this?"

"Well…." she paused for a moment too long.

"Why do I even ask?" Darian said heatedly as they entered the Great Hall. "I'll never have a normal life where I'm not the topic of discussion will I?" Ron joined them, looking highly peeved about something. "You ever notice that no matter what I do they always make me out to be either a nut job or a Death Eater?" he went on.

"Or the next Dark Lord," Ron added. Hermione gave him a disapproving look.

"Same difference," Darian muttered irritably. He headed for the Ravenclaw table out of instinct.

"I wouldn't go there," Hermione whispered in his ear.

"Yeah, Lisa has been a right git since yesterday," Ron said angrily.

Darian rolled his eyes, "Figures."

"Oh don't let her get to you, Darian," Hermione said soothingly. "She just feels threatened by you."

"What?" Darian said blankly. "She feels threatened by _me_? Why?"

"Well," Hermione said uncomfortably. "She saw the wandless magic you did and I guess it kind of….scared her."

"She could be just jealous," Ron added at the drained look on Darian's face. He shook his head.

"No, Ron," he said quietly. "Whenever someone does something unusual that no one else can do, it scares them and they act on that instinct alone. They did the same thing when they learned I was a parselmouth, remember?"

"Hogsmeade trips are canceled, of course," Hermione went on after a long silence.

"Guess we'll have to start using the Marauder's Map again," Ron said, grinning at Darian.

"Don't you dare!" Hermione snapped as they sat down at the very end of the table, farthest from the teachers. "There was a Death Eater attack yesterday and you are talking about sneaking out unsupervised! Honestly, Ron, when are you going to use your head?"

"Yeah, honestly, Ron!" Darian mocked in a girlish voice. Hermione threw a biscuit at him.

"Fifteen points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger. You should know better," McGonagall said as she passed. Hermione flushed and ducked her head. Ron snickered.

It was at that moment that Darian realized the air of tragedy that hung over the Great Hall, and though the students were still talking animatedly to each other, the noise seemed almost quieter then usual.

"Hermione," Darian said slowly, his eyes flickering around the Gryffindor table, where some students were whispering quietly amongst themselves. "You said that no students died, right?"

"Yes," Hermione murmured, looking uneasy.

"What happened, than?" Darian asked quietly, staring up at the teacher's table to find a dozen perfectly masked faces muttering and had they been teenagers, Darian would have suspected their heads would be together as well. He stared around the Hall again. "Why is everyone so….subdued?"

Hermione glanced at Ron and sighed unhappily. "Madame Rosemerta was killed, Darian."

Darian fell into silence, the burning in his chest that had formed with Cedric's death swelled even more. Another life wasted, another person dead. He closed his eyes briefly, bowing his head in silent respect. _Another reason why Voldemort should never have walked this earth… _

"Is anyone even the least bit happy that I wasn't taken by the Death Eaters?" Darian asked calmly as they walked to the library to do some last minute homework.

"Don't think so, mate," Ron replied gloomily, obviously not wanting to spend a perfectly good Sunday in the library, as he had stated rather loudly only moments ago. Unfortunately, it was two against one, since Darian had gotten to be a bit of a bookworm since he had been sorted into Ravenclaw.

"People can be so closed minded sometimes," Hermione said as they entered the library. "I mean, even Ginny thinks you're for the dark side just because you're Snape's son."

Darian winced; it hurt to know that a person he had loved like a sister would judge someone as 'dark' so easily so…._pathetically_. He had thought that Ginny was a bit more open-minded then that.

"I suppose shallow mindedness does run in the family, kind of. First Percy and now Ginny, but Ginny isn't being near as bad as Percy, of course. And it's not like she goes out of her way to insult Darian of something," Ron defended half-heartedly.

"I guess you really don't know someone unless you've been in their enemy's shoes," Hermione said thoughtfully as she skimmed through _Hydro-Spore: Poison, or Antidote?_

"Bunch of gits," Ron grumbled, though he was really only talking to himself since Hermione and Darian were rather engrossed in their own books.

"Language, Weasel. I'm sure Professor Snape will love to hear how you address your classmates," a voice drawled. Hermione glanced up from her book to stare at Draco Malfoy's pale face.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Darian asked in a bored voice.

Malfoy smirked. "You'd do best to consider my father's offer, Snape," he said haughtily. "It isn't very often that the Dark Lord shows any interest in _mudblood lovers_."

Darian's wand was in his hand faster then his brain would work and he found himself saying quietly, "And you'd do best to watch your tongue, Malfoy, before I rip it out." Ron also had his wand out but Hermione was only watching with slight interest.

Malfoy arched a pale eyebrow. "Now is that really any way to treat a fellow classmate, Snape? Especially one who is making such a profitable offer."

"Why, might I ask, does Voldemort have such an interest in me?" Darian asked, letting disgust bleed into his voice. He smirked slightly at Malfoy's shudder to Tom Riddle's other name and assessed the young Malfoy, wondering whether or not he knew of Darian's true identity. Reaching out his senses, he couldn't really sense any hostility directed at him, which would probably be the case if Malfoy did know of his association to 'Harry Potter.' He really didn't think that Lucius Malfoy would tell his son something like this; figuring that, most likely, Draco would blab about it to his fellow Slytherins or taunt Darian and Snape with it. If there was one thing that Draco Malfoy wasn't, that was an actor.

"And if you wanted me to consider the offer so much, Malfoy, then it might benefit if you'd treat my friends and I with a little more respect," Darian countered, idly twirling his wand between his fingers. "Here I thought that the Malfoys were such a reputable family. You really disappoint me, Malfoy. Where is that mannerism I've heard so much about?"

A tinge of pink appeared on Malfoy's pale cheeks, something that Darian had only seen happen a select few times when the blonde was either very angry or embarrassed. Malfoy regained his composure the next second and nodded. "So you will be taking my offer into consideration, _Darian_?"

Darian suppressed the urge to slap the other boy, but instead inclined his head arrogantly and glared down his nose at the youngest Malfoy. "Unlike you, _Draco_, I would rather stay as sane as possible in this war and I cannot say that a continuous amount of crucio's will help that." He paused to smirk. "But your parents would know all about that wouldn't they?"

"You know nothing of my parents, Snape," Malfoy growled, his gray eyes flashing. "And you know nothing of the power the Dark Lord possesses." He sneered triumphantly. "The ministry is already under our control. I wonder how long it will take for Hogwarts to fall as well?"

"_Our_ control, Malfoy?" Darian asked coolly. "As in your family and you? Since when has Lord Voldemort ever shared with anyone, let alone his slaves?" His lips curled in a scary impression of his father. "What?" he asked softly at Malfoy's second flinch. "Afraid of hearing your future master's name? And here I thought the Malfoys feared nothing."

"You think you are so dominant just because you held up a few Death Eaters until your Daddy could save you?" Malfoy asked tauntingly. "You are pathetic compared to the Dark Lord, Snape, and in time, you will come to realize that." He folded his arms haughtily. "And maybe I'll get the honor of…well..._persecuting_ you when you come groveling up to the Dark Lord."

"Like your father does?" Darian said lazily, idly twirling his wand. Out of the corner of his eye, Hermione was giving him an odd look. "I thought Malfoys bowed to no one, especially not a _half-blood_."

Malfoy whipped out his wand and shouted, _"Cul-"_

"_Expelliarmus!" _a voice roared before the blonde could finish what was obviously to be the knife curse. Malfoy's mahogany wand was snatched out of the air before it could hit the ground and Snape straightened up, looking furious.

Hermione gripped Darian's shoulder in a vice-like hold. "He just performed a dark curse in front of a teacher!" she exclaimed in a loud whisper. "He could get expelled!"

"Mr. Malfoy," Snape said in a slow undertone. His face was pale with anger. "Exactly _what_ do you think you are doing?" he hissed dangerously; Malfoy looked as if he were going to wet himself.

"Sir! I….I mean they--! They threatened me! It was self-defense, sir!" Malfoy stuttered lamely. He glanced at Darian, Ron, and Hermione as if expecting them to immediately agree. Darian stared solemnly back, feeling a twinge in his heart as he realized that in the last second, Malfoy had completely destroyed his future. While the knife curse wasn't an Unforgiveable, it was still a possibility that a short sentence to Azkaban could result.

"The headmaster's office immediately," Snape commanded thrusting his hand to the library door, his black eyes similar to chips of ice. He turned back to Darian as Malfoy slowly exited the library. "And you will wait for me in my private office," he said evenly before sweeping out of the library with a swish of his robes. "Without Granger and Weasley," Darian heard him call without turning around.

&&&&&&&&&&

The door banged open and Darian jumped from where he sat in a chair in front of Snape's desk. Snape strode in, looking furious but grim, and Darian the strangest urge to ask the man if he was all right.

Snape sank into his seat across from Darian. He looked old and incredibly worn all of the sudden and Darian shifted uneasily.

"Sir?" he asked quietly. Snape looked at him as if just realizing he was there. "You…er…asked me to wait for you here," Darian offered softly.

Snape nodded immediately and was silent for a moment, seemingly collecting himself. "Mr. Malfoy," he began in a gruff voice before pausing to clear it. "Was expelled."

Darian stared up into his father's face and was surprised at the shock that welled up in him. Sure he had known that expulsion had definitely been an option but now that it was said and it had been done he felt….empty almost. Yet another life that had been destroyed because of Voldemort.

Snape put his face in his hands and took a deep, shuttering breath. "Yet another I've failed," he whispered, though Darian knew he hadn't meant to say it.

"It's not you fault," Darian murmured. "It's no one's but Voldemort's."

He waited, half expectantly, half fearfully, for Snape to yell at him for using the Dark Lord's name, but it didn't come. Snape didn't move, nor did he make any acknowledgement to Darian's words.

Darian bit his lip, feeling guilt well up in him. "It's my fault too," he admitted awkwardly. Snape looked up at him wearily.

"Not _everything_ that messes up is your fault!" Snape snapped and immediately regretted the words as Darian stared at him with deadened eyes. "I didn't…" he began, uncomfortably. "Mean it to sound harsh."

Darian sighed and shook his head. "I shouldn't have gotten him riled up. He just was taunting us as usual. But we actually responded this time," he said, shifting uneasily under his father's gaze. "One of the only times I said something really insulting to him, he gets expelled for trying to curse me."

Snape was silent for a couple moments, as if contemplating on something. "Draco Malfoy," he murmured quietly. "Has always had violent tendencies."

"I can tell," Darian said dryly, remembering the duels Malfoy had challenged him to and the curses the blonde had thrown at him. He remembered one in particular, including a certain white ferret… Darian shook his head again. He shouldn't think about that. It had been in his previous life, and he'd have to forget what had happened in the past if he ever wanted a future.

"We are going to add an extra lesson a week," Snape said suddenly, looking up at Darian, composure regained. "We need to work on Occlumency, no matter how much you wish to avoid it."

"I've been practicing," Darian practically burst out. "I really have, but I just….don't think I do it right."

Snape eyed him critically, "Then we shall see."

Darian sighed.

"Report here after dinner," Snape told him curtly. "They probably will be announcing Draco's expulsion then…" he broke off and turned away, looking almost pained with regret. Darian wished he could say something besides the repeated parrot of, "It's not your fault," something that he had learned from personal experience, didn't help at all.

Instead, Darian looked at the man earnestly, hoping that it offered some comfort. "I'll be here, sir," he announced loudly, snapping Snape from his reverie again.

Snape nodded, looking dazed before waving Darian away.

Darian stood, "Goodbye, sir."

He didn't receive a response.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"_Severus Snape, you bring Darian back this instant!" Lily shouted from where she stood on the front porch, her hands placed firmly on her hips, eyes flaring. _

"_Oooh, Daddy, you're in trouble," Darian whispered, looking up at him with solemn green orbs from under a mop of black hair. _

_Severus flinched, but managed a half-smile down at his four year-old son, who was currently sitting in his lap, clutching the front of his robes in a death grip. _

"_I'll deal with her as long as you don't tell her we went upside down," Severus said in an undertone, eyeing his wife wearily as he steered the Silver Arrow to the ground._

"_Faster, Daddy!" Darian exclaimed, and Severus smirked at his son's exhilaration, unable to resist ushering the broom forward so they were speeding in a curve to the ground, enjoying the rushing exhilaration of the wind whipping through his hair and Darian's cries of excitement as he held the boy in a vice-like grip. _

"_Severus!" Lily shrieked in panic and he pulled up, gradually decreasing speed until they came to a full stop in front of her. Darian wiggled off his father's lap and bounded for his mother. _

"_I flew, Mummy, I flew!" he shouted happily, running into Lily's outstretched arms. "Did you see me? Did you?" _

"_I most certainly did," Lily said in a shaky voice, pressing a kiss on his forehead and penetrating Severus with a glare that froze him in his act of getting off the broom. "Now why don't you get washed up for dinner while your father and I talk," she tried to make her voice gentle though it quivering with fury. _

_Darian's emerald eyes widened as he glanced between his parents. He chewed his lower lip nervously and gave his father a pitying look that couldn't help but make Severus's lips twitch. _

"_You!….how…could…I…clearly-," Lily managed between gritted teeth after Darian had retreated into their cottage-like house. She took a deep breath and glared fiercely at him. "I clearly told you that he wasn't to be on a broom until he was at least six!" she snapped finally. _

"_Six, Lily?" Severus said shaking his head bemusedly. "You couldn't possibly have thought that Potter and Black could have waited two more years."_

"_What?" Lily whispered, though her fury seemed to grow. "You mean this isn't the first time he's been on a broom!" _

"_It was the first time," Severus told her, almost soothingly though he knew it wouldn't help. "But I'll be damned if Potter or Black were to take Darian up on a broom for his first time when I-"_

"_But they weren't going to take him on a broom!" Lily snapped. "They would have listened to my requests as his mother and waited until he was six, as you should have!" _

_Severus snorted. "You can't honestly think that they wouldn't have pulled something while you were gone, Lily? Black and Potter? Listen to you?"_

_Lily seemed to deflate slightly, but still looked rather miffed. _

"_It's fine," Severus told her, walking up to the redhead and wrapping his arms around her. "He didn't get hurt, Lily, he had fun. Besides, he deserved it after enduring yesterday we spent with your beloved _sister_," he said coldly, though it wasn't directed at his wife. _

"_I know," Lily murmured, sighing with fatigue. "But I hadn't seen her in so long….I thought she might've-"_

"_Changed?" Severus finished for her and she nodded. "Lils, your dear sister is never going to change her views about us. It's best if we keep Darian away from that family, especially their pig of a son."_

_Lily shuddered, unable to imagine raising a child like Dudley Dursley. _

"_And that man," her husband went on quietly though Lily knew he was livid. "I don't like him," he said and Lily was surprised at the seriousness of his tone. "The way he looked at Darian…"_

_Lily nodded solemnly. "I know," she said quietly. "It's just…..Petunia and I were so close before I went to Hogwarts…I just wish-"_

"_I know, Lils, I know," Severus said softly to her. "But it is best if we leave them be…" he trailed off for a moment before continuing. "I have a feeling he would've hurt Darian had we not been with him."_

_Severus felt rage build up in him as he remembered how Dursley had yelled at Darian for showing Dudley a chocolate frog card, which had ended with Vernon resembling something along the lines of a gerbil, and himself, Lily, and Darian leaving two days early. Unfortunately, Lily had had to come back an hour later to undo the aftermath of Severus's spell before the Ministry could interfere. He never wanted to step foot in that wretched house again. _

_Lily sighed and turned to look at the setting sun, casting an orange glow around their small summer home. "Alright, Severus," she agreed finally. "Just….promise me you won't take Darian flying…at least until he's five."_

_Severus smiled and flicked a strand of red hair out of her eyes. "Of course."_

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Professor?" a hesitant voice called.

Severus stirred, unwilling to come out of the wonderful fantasy he had somehow formed.

"Professor?" louder this time, more persistent followed by a tap on the shoulder.

'_No,'_ Severus said mentally. _'Leave me be.'_ He desperately tried to grasp the merest wisp of the image of the innocent boy with emerald eyes that was his son, and the fiery redhead that he had was loved so.

The warmth of the setting sun felt as real as the hand that was currently trying to prod him from his paradise. However, it faded away along with the picture of the family he could have had, leaving a hollow, empty space in his soul, and finding himself only in the cold dungeons, having fallen asleep on his desk.

"Professor?"

"_What!"_ Severus snapped, flaring up and nearly smacking his head against Darian, who was cautiously trying to rouse him.

Severus winced, carefully massaging his neck as he glared resentfully at Darian, who was staring at him with a slightly fearful expression. For an instant, his eyes seemed to blur and he was once again staring at the young boy that could have been his. Severus swallowed and turned away from the boy, unable to keep the embarrassment of his student seeing him asleep. What was the boy here for anyway?

"Did you have another dream?" he asked groggily, not yet facing Darian until he had rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Darian gave him an odd look. "No," he said slowly. "You…er…told me to come here for Occlumency lessons, sir."

"At this hour-" Severus cut himself off as he found his clock, which read '6:43PM', and felt heat rise to his cheeks. How could he have fallen asleep at this hour? He hadn't done anything strenuous today nor had he gotten little sleep the night before.

"Fine," he heard himself say tiredly. "We will practice in the potions classroom as we usually do. Wait for me there while I finish something up."

Darian nodded, though Severus could see a flash of concern in those eyes before the boy turned away and walked out of the classroom.

Severus watched him go before nearly collapsing on his desk again, unable to keep the emotions from rising within him at the thought of that dream. He seldom dreamed, and when he did, it was filled with death and destruction as if his conscience was punishing him for everything he had done. But this….this wonderful, perfect alternate reality…

It was worse then his usual dreams. So much worse to know that that world had been so close, so easily in reach years ago but now it was impossible. It was like staring into the Mirror of Erised, watching your greatest desire play out before you with you off to the sidelines, unable to feel the emotion your other self felt, unable to experience the same experiences….

Severus closed his eyes and tried to erase the memory of Lily….his wonderful, beautiful Lily. How he had loved to simply look at her as he had done in his dream. It had been so long, so very long since he had looked at her picture. But even a picture could not capture the orange glow of the sunset that had surrounded Lily, making it look as if she had a golden halo above her head. Portraits could not express the emotion Severus got whenever he was around her and they certainly couldn't give off the same warmth that surrounded her in waves.

He sighed and reopened his eyes, noticing that almost five minutes had already passed and Darian was still waiting for him. At the thought of the brooding teenager that was his son, an image of the four year-old Darian flashed through Severus's head. Would Darian have truly looked like that at the age of four? Could that pure, endearing, young boy with vibrant green eyes possible have grown up to be Darian?

'_No,'_ he mentally told himself. The Darian of this world and the little Darian in his dream were two different people with two different lives and two different memories. The four year-old Darian had never been neglected, had never been abused nor had he had the plaguing weight of the world on his shoulders, thrown on him at the age of one. It was just as the Darian of this world had never known love, had never had a (true) parent, had never known peace, and had _never _been that childlike.

Severus slipped on his outer robes, realizing that the little Darian didn't have the wizened look that his Darian had, nor the shadows under his eyes. They could have been the same once, a long time ago, but now they were as different as Snape and Dumbledore. With that thought in mind Severus viciously shoved the overwhelming yearning that had seized him, and slammed open the doors to his classroom setting his mind, instead, on his son, who was currently waiting cautiously for him.

"Let's begin," he said curtly and he noticed that the boy looked drained. He whipped out his wand.

"_Legilimens_!" Severus knew at once that Darian hadn't been ready at the deer-caught-in-headlights look before the spell struck him.

Images flashed through Snape's mind: a young Harry sitting sadly at a table by himself in a school lunchroom, watching his classmates eat their lunch with a hungry look; an eleven year-old Harry watching furiously at his uncle burning a stack of letters; Harry reaching up a shaking hand to touch a silvery patronus that looked strangely like a stag….

Snape felt a spike of irritation at the lack of resistance against his attack. Was the boy even trying? He pried deeper into Darian's more guarded memories, easily knocking down the pathetic mental wall before carefully sifting through to find the right one…

Harry being held underwater by his aunt in a tub of cold water; Harry pleading to be let out of his cupboard, promising to be good; Harry asking Nearly Headless Nick if Sirius Black could come back as a ghost; Harry in Dumbledore's office screaming, "THEN-I-DON'T-WANT-TO-BE-HUMAN!"

Snape pulled back, rather shocked at the pure rage in the boy's voice. His grip on Darian's memories slipped and he unwillingly delved even deeper into his son's personal memories, a place where he had vowed he wouldn't go again.

An image of a very young Harry formed in his mind and Severus was reminded of the four year-old Darian from his dream. Harry's uncle was towering above him, a thick belt in one had that was oddly reddish around the end. Horrified, Severus jerked back with such force that he feared he might have torn through Darian's ribbon of memories. The memory faded away, but not fast enough to prevent Severus from seeing the fat man bring down the belt and a tortured cry from ringing through his ears.

Severus stumbled as his office swam back into view. He suppressed the consuming feeling of rage that he seemed to get whenever he came across one of Darian's 'bad' memories. Clenching his teeth, he took a steadying breath and gripped the edge of his desk before finally looking up to see the damage he had done.

He had expected Darian to be on the floor, pale and trembling, and for an instant, he wished that that was the image that met his eyes. Instead, Darian was hunched over, clutching his head and moaning faintly.

Severus quickly strode over to the boy and hesitantly touched his shoulder. Darian didn't make a move and Severus suddenly wished that the boy had at least jerked away from the touch.

"Darian?" he asked softly, cautiously, his heart rate speeding up. _'Oh God, please say something, anything…'_ he silently begged, shaking Darian a little. The boy didn't respond and he would have fallen over had Severus not caught him.

Severus carefully lowered the boy to the ground, straining his ears for any kind of sound coming from his son other then the hitched breathing and weak whimpers.

"Darian?" he whispered again, shaking him harder. He closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath, mentally cursing himself in every language he knew. How could he have been so careless? He might have ripped a piece of Darian's mind just because he had let his emotions get to him.

Reopening his eyes, Severus shifted the boy to his lap and carefully brushed a strand of raven hair off Darian's forehead, pointing his wand at his head.

"_Legilimens_," he whispered shakily and felt his mind drift into his son's.

Severus probed through Darian's mind, searching for the memory he had last seen. Warily, he dove into the deepest recesses of the boy's mind where the memory had been. He scanned his son's ribbon of memories, examining each memory for an instant before continuing to the next, growing even more fearful at each passing memory.

He felt a wave of relief settle over him as the memory started to bleed into his mind. Severus noticed that the image was dulled, a bit faded and, with a lurch in his stomach, he began to carefully mend the tear he had caused.

Severus felt his head begin to throb as he willed Darian's magic to cooperate and heal. He delicately wove his magic into his son's, hesitantly prodding the boy's unwilling magic to focus on the torn memory, though it continued to ignore his presence.

'_Come on,'_ he willed silently, dutifully increasing his own flow of magic. Darian's essence reacted instantly to the foreign, amplified magic and struggled to shove Severus out violently.

Severus cursed mentally, causing a wave of irritation from Darian to strike at him. He pushed back, equally as hard, realizing that he was going to have to force Darian's magic to cooperate with his. His head felt like it was splitting open from the pressure that built up in his mind as Darian's magic powered over him. Desperate, he heaved as much of his magic as he could transmit through him and thrust it at his son's. He instantly felt drained, having put every ounce of magic and energy toward overpowering Darian's essence until it was forced to obey.

Exhaustion was tickling the edge of his mind and he strained himself to stay conscience. Hastily yet meticulously he began to mend the tear, using Darian's magic to unite the tendrils into one again. He could feel Darian slowly beginning to regain consciousness.

Severus swayed as he withdrew from his son's mind, his head was pounding, and he collapsed to his knees in fatigue as he saw Darian stir from where he lay on the stone floor. Severus sighed in relief when the boy's green eyes fluttered open and focused on him, before he lost his battle against exhaustion and fell to the floor.


	20. Chapter twenty These Dreams Part one

Thanks once again to everyone who reviewed. I didn't get as much feedback as I thought I would...

Anyways, I have been attacked by a rather vicious plot bunny. Hope it goes well. Thanks a lot to Badbugz for giving me feedback on this chapter and helping me to decide where this story's going to go.

It is now November in this story if anyone has lost track of time.

Chapter twenty- These Dreams Part one

"….not really sure what happened," someone was saying quietly. "He used the Legilimens curse and did something….I'm not sure what it was, but it felt like my head was splitting open."

Severus stirred as he regained consciousness and he opened his eyes to see Darian conversing in a low murmur with the headmaster, who was looking cheerful.

"When I woke up, he fainted," Darian finished awkwardly, looking guilty.

"Something must have happened to your mind, Darian and Professor Snape may have felt obligated to try and fix it," the headmaster told the boy. "It certainly would have drained all of his magical energy."

Darian stared at the ground, feeling shame creep up on him. If any permanent damage were done to his father, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself…

As if reading his mind, Dumbledore said gently, "Now none of this is your fault, Darian, and Poppy said that all Severus needed was a little rest."

"I know," Darian murmured, still not meeting his teacher's wizened eyes. "I just-"

"I thought I told you that not everything was your fault," Snape interrupted grumpily.

Dumbledore smiled. "It is good to see you up, Severus. You gave your son quite a scare."

Ignoring Darian's flush at Dumbledore's words, Severus asked, "How long have I been asleep?"

"Only a few hours," Dumbledore told him softly. "Your magic didn't take as long as expected to replenish itself."

Severus nodded before turning his eyes to his son. "And you?" he asked quietly, almost embarrassed. "How are you…..how is your head?"

"Fine," Darian said, looking uncomfortable. He met Severus's eyes. "What happened?"

Severus closed his eyes, feeling humiliation well up in him. "I…I did not treat your mind as….carefully as I should have," he said quietly. "I inadvertently tore through one of your memories that I had stumbled upon. It….shocked me to say the least and I withdrew from it with more force then I should have."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and broke the awkward silence. "Well, I shall leave the two of you alone," he said, his eyes twinkling unnecessarily.

"I am….I…apologize," Severus said slowly when the hem of Dumbledore's robes had whipped out of sight, the word sounding foreign to his tongue.

Darian stared at him in shock before shrugging and looking at the ground. "It's okay."

"No it's not," Severus said coolly. "You don't understand what could have happened. I could have permanently disabled you; you could have become mentally unstable just because I-"

"It was just an accident," Darian reminded him quietly. "People make mistakes."

Severus felt a bit perturbed by the boy's sudden pardon. "Nevertheless," he said quietly. "It was very reckless of me."

"But you fixed it," Darian said, still not looking at him. "I should be thanking you. You almost killed yourself, you know."

"I wouldn't have had to fix it if I hadn't of done it in the first place," Severus retorted, feeling rather irritated. Why couldn't the boy simply accept the apology and leave it be?

Darian seemed to sense his irritation and he turned away from Severus, his long hair curtaining his face as Severus's usually did when he didn't want anyone to see his expression. How alike the two could be at moments.

"When I first realized how I had torn your memory," Severus said very carefully. "I was afrai…..I feared that I had done permanent damage." He took a breath, very unused to sharing his emotions. "You were in so much pain and yet you didn't seem to react to it at all."

Severus broke off and turned away from the boy, finding that he was unable to express the panic that had gripped him when he had realized what he had done to the boy…his own son… He could have easily crushed the boy's mind, reduced him into nothing more then an empty shell, something akin to the Longbottoms. That thought caused a ripple of emotion wash over him.

Darian shrugged again and looked up at his father with hooded eyes. "You said you wouldn't view any of those memories," he said, sounding almost weak. "You told me that you wouldn't probe that deeply into my mind after you saw that memory a week ago!"

"I know," Severus said quietly. "I apologize. It wasn't…intentional." God, did it hurt to let go of his pride like that.

Darian nodded slowly and Severus frowned. The boy was far too forgiving for his own good. One of these days, it was going to get him killed along with that saving people-thing he still seemed to posses. But as his mind conjured up the image of a lifeless Darian, the four year-old child from his dream flickered across his conscience.

The boy only lingered for a little while before he left to finish some last minute homework (which was Potions). And just as Severus was about to take his leave from the Wing, Dumbledore came back in.

"Severus," he greeted, smiling as if they hadn't seen each other in years. "How did your talk with your son go?"

Severus arched an eyebrow as he straightened his outer robe. "And here I thought you were at the door listening the whole time."

Dumbledore smiled tolerantly. "Ah Severus. No matter how many of the same traits Darian and I can seem to have, eavesdropping is not one of them. I was hoping I could have a chat with you over tea?" He raised his wand to conjure the tea, but Severus stopped him.

"Actually, I was just leaving, Albus," he said briskly.

This didn't dampen the headmaster's mood. "Why don't we just go to my office then?"

Severus gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more then to simply go to his chambers and fall asleep for at least twelve hours before he had to deal with those irritating brats again. But he knew that the old coot would just continue to badger him until he complied.

He heaved a sigh, not caring if it was immature. "Best get it over with now," he grumbled, following the headmaster.

"Severus," Dumbledore scolded lightheartedly as they approached the stone gargoyle. "You make it sound like our talks are a punishment, my boy. I've always seen them as quite liberating."

"Are you trying to flatter me?" Severus asked in a bored voice.

"No, my dear Professor, merely stating the truth," Dumbledore told him cheerfully as he plopped down in his chair. Severus hastily settled into his usual chair, feeling exhausted despite his long hours of unconsciousness.

"Now," Dumbledore said once he had summoned a rather horrid tea set. "You seem rather distraught, my boy. Is there anything wrong?"

Severus stared down at his steaming cup of tea. How many times had the headmaster asked him those four words? And how many times had Severus answered with a 'Nothing, Albus'? But Severus could feel his recent dream weighing heavily upon his mind.

"No, Albus, just a dream I had."

Dumbledore sipped his tea and nodded for him to continue. "Was it one of your nightmares?"

Severus flinched and quickly set his full cup of tea back on the desk. "No," he said tersely. "It was worse." _'Worse,_' he thought to himself. _'And yet so wonderful, so perfect, so….' _He broke the thought: so unreal, so fantasy, so delusional.

"Worse? How so?"

Severus took a deep breath. "It was a….good dream, I suppose you could say." He didn't need to look up to read the headmaster's confused expression. "Lily was in it," he said quickly, and understanding dawned on Dumbledore's face.

"Oh," the old man said quietly, sitting back. "I see."

Severus nodded. "Darian was in it too," he went on. "He was just a child of four." He shook his head, his lank, greasy hair barely moved.

"Go on," Dumbledore said with a touch of uncertainty.

"We were," Severus paused, almost unable to form the next word, "…happy." He was silent for a moment before looking up at the headmaster with haunted eyes.

"What happened," Dumbledore asked gently, curiosity lining his voice.

"Lily was angry at me, furious actually." He let out a brittle laugh. "I was taking Darian up on a broomstick for probably the first time."

"I could imagine how happy she'd be about that, especially with him being only four," Dumbledore mused with a wistful smile. "She had quite a temper, that one."

Severus nodded. "That was about it," he murmured and somehow knew that Dumbledore could tell just how much that small portion had meant to him. "Lily and I talked about her sister's family," he scowled, fury coursing through him. "That terrible woman and her husband-" he sneered "-_Dursley_." The name was spat out like a disgusting swear word. "We had recently visited them, and that man was horrible to Darian." The fury he felt now towards the disgusting muggle seemed almost as real as the fury he had felt in his dream.

Dumbledore remained silent.

"It was so peaceful," Severus finished, remembering how the orange glow of the sunset had cast a halo around Lily's head.

Dumbledore sipped his tea thoughtfully. "Almost like what could have been?" he asked softly and Severus nodded.

"Yes," Dumbledore said knowingly. "Sometimes wizards and witches do that. It is a very special type of magic; magic has yet to be fully controlled by us. When we miss our loved ones so much, our minds almost leak into an alternate."

Severus stared at the old man. He had never heard of this branch of magic.

"So, sometimes, we can almost see how our lives could have been," Dumbledore told him.

Severus frowned and stared at his hands. He would give (almost) anything to have Lily back. So many nights he had spent thinking of her, of what could have been. When Darian had been pushed into the picture, Severus had imagined a life with an innocent, young boy with emerald green eyes that radiated with innocence and purity, something Severus knew, had never happened in this life.

"It is a strange type of magic," Dumbledore's voice broke his thoughts. "A mixture between love and longing, two of the most powerful branches of magic blended together to create a wild, uncontrollable magic that's fueled by a strong emotion. It could only be something that strong to be able to cross universes." He paused. "I do believe that Darian's ability could somehow be connected with this branch of magic with his yearning to defeat Voldemort once and for all, and to save his friends along with the love and hatred he has felt in his life. Quite amazing isn't it?"

Severus nodded numbly, wanting nothing more then to fall back asleep and hope, pray, that his mind would somehow retrieve another memory from another universe.

"But you must not let this control you, Severus," Dumbledore warned, as if reading his mind. "This magic is very dangerous. Depending on these dreams is almost like depending on the Mirror of Erised except all of your dreams may not be good ones. You need to be very careful."

"And how do you propose I do that?" Severus asked a bit waspishly. "You, yourself said that this magic couldn't yet be controlled by wizards so what do you expect me to do, Occlude my mind?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm not sure," he admitted and Severus almost gawked at him. "While Occlumency could help, these dreams are of your subconscious, something beyond your direct control. The way you push these dreams away is not by focusing on the problem itself, but rather on the details." At Severus's confused expression, Dumbledore sighed. "I mean that it is a long term thing. Change the way you think about things." He smiled. "Get to know Darian, Severus. It will help. You must realize that Lily is not completely gone from this world. She lives on through your son, and once you realize that then you will find that you won't be aching for her as much because you know that part of her is still with you."

Severus bit back a retort of how Dumbledore was just trying to get him closer to the boy. But Dumbledore was right. He couldn't think about those dreams, not of what could never happen. He needed to focus on this world, on _his_ Darian. And yet it was hard, so hard to ignore the chibi-Darian from his dream. How he wished the young boy could be his….

He felt a wave of guilt strike him at the fact that he would gladly trade his Darian for the one in his dream. They were the same person, and yet so different. He wanted the son in his dream because he knew he had raised that boy in another world; he actually _was_ a father to him; he _had _been there to see Darian take his first step, to hear him say his first word, to see him receive his Hogwarts letter. But, no, that wasn't him. The man in his dream wasn't him and yet he so wished he could trade places with his alternate. He didn't want to be left with an abused son he didn't know. He wanted a son he had raised; he wanted a boy that he knew, that would depend on him. His Darian couldn't do that, not now. Oh, how he wished…..

But wishes got you nowhere. He had learned that years ago after looking into the Mirror of Erised, and could still remember how long he would sit in front of the mirror, staring at his greatest wish: Lily, alive and vibrant once again. It had taken him almost two months (as well as much of Albus's time) to finally rid himself of the mirror's addiction. He didn't want a repeat of that.

As Severus stumbled tiredly into his chambers moments later, he collapsed on the bed, half-heartedly occluding his mind and trying to think mainly of the Darian of his world.

_"You know you're never going to grade those papers fairly if you're half asleep while grading them," Lily stated as she leaned on the doorframe in his private office. _

_Severus put down his red-inked quill and stretched, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes. "It would be rather uncharacteristic of me if I graded fairly now wouldn't it?" _

_Lily shook her head, her red locks swaying gently. "No wonder every student hates your class," she said in a semi-teasing voice. "I feel especially bad for Darian's friend, Miss Granger. She tries so hard and yet you only give her an 'E' at the highest." _

_Severus smirked. "Well, if I were to give her the satisfaction of an 'O' then that would stimulate her pride and cause her to cease working as hard," he pointed out logically. _

_"Go to bed," Lily commanded tiredly, suddenly looking very worn. Severus noticed the changed and stood from his desk, not even bothering to straighten his papers as he walked over to her. _

_"It's going to be alright," he assured her softly and her face screwed up in obvious pain. _

_"No it's not," she whispered in strangled voice. "You know how bad the war is going on now. I thought he'd be safe here." _

_"And he is," Severus reassured her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her towards their rooms. _

_"Not for long," Lily murmured, staring bleakly at the floor. "With the prophecy Albus just told us…" She trailed off and stopped, putting her face into her shaking hands. "Why did it have to him, Severus? Why couldn't someone else have been destined to defeat that monster?" _

_"It could be worse," Severus told her softly. _

_"It couldn't," Lily denied, shaking her head. _

_"Would you rather he be in Longbottom's place?" Severus asked quietly, referring to Neville Longbottom, who had been in St. Mungo's with his parents for the past three years. _

_"No!" Lily exclaimed. "It's just….I just wish…" _

_"Hush, I know," Severus tried to comfort her, though he felt a bit uncomfortable standing in the middle of the halls where any Slytherin could try to throw a hex at them. It had happened once before, when Severus had been talking to Albus. A Slytherin seventh year, David, had thrown a suffocating hex at Severus's head while trying to pass unnoticed. It had been so unexpected that had it not been for Dumbledore, Severus would have spent the next few days in the Hospital Wing. _

_"When are we going to tell him?" Lily asked in a raspy voice, staring up at him through tearful green eyes. _

_Severus sighed and folded his arms. If it were really his choice, he'd never tell his son. The mere thought of having to break the news to Darian, knowing that he was practically throwing the weight of the world on the boy's shoulders. For Merlin's sake Darian was only fifteen! He shouldn't have to worry about defeating Severus's former master just because that damn fraud Trelawney had made a prophecy about it three nights ago. _

_"Now," he said quietly and Lily's head shot up. _

_"Now?" she repeated incredulously. "But Severus we only just found out the news." _

_"It is about him," Severus said firmly. "He has more of a right to know then we do and the sooner we tell him the better." He looked into Lily's eyes. "You know he'd hate us for keeping the truth from him for a long time." _

_His wife turned away, hating to admit that he was right. _

_"He's waiting for us," Severus reminded her, glancing at the door to their rooms. Darian always met with them once a week at night. _

_"He might've already headed back to his dorms," Lily said. "It's past eleven." _

_But Severus knew Darian would probably wait all night for them, if only to get to stay out of bed after hours. Indeed, when he pushed the door open, Darian was sitting leisurely on the couch, writing on an already three foot long parchment, his features serious, focused solely on the essay he was finishing. _

_"Took you guys long enough," Darian said without looking up. _

_"Dumbledore needed to speak to us," Lily said, glancing wearily over at Severus. She sat heavily down beside Darian and put an arm around his shoulders, while absently tousling his hair with the other. _

_Darian scowled in annoyance and shifted under her touch, having grown too old for affection from his mother. "Do you have to do that while I'm writing?" he asked touchily, though not angrily. _

_Lily smiled weakly before standing up and joining Severus on the couch across from her son. _

_"Darian," she began uncertainly, wringing her hands. "We need to talk to you about something very important." _

_Darian frowned and looked up from his parchment, slowly laying the quill down, obviously sensing the seriousness of the situation. "What's wrong? What happened?" _

_"Albus has just informed us of a prophecy that was made a few nights ago," Severus answered carefully. He paused. "It was made about you." _

_Darian stared at them unsurely. "Me?" he asked hesitantly. "What kind of prophecy would be made about me?" _

_Lily opened her mouth but closed it again, looking at Severus with a lost expression. _

_Their son stared at their tense expressions. "Mom?" he asked slowly. "Dad? What…what's going on?" _

_Severus came to a decision and carefully pulled out a small piece of paper. He handed it to his son. "Dumbledore gave us this," he said warily. _

_Darian looked at him for a moment before reading the paper. _

_Severus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, knowing what was to come. He knew the words on the paper by heart, despite obtaining them mere minutes ago: _

_ **The end of the battle draws near, its conclusion in the hands of the Chosen One. **_

**_The Chosen One must prosper, for darkness shall reign if his failure comes to pass. _**

**_And he shall be blood to the traitor of the Dark Lord, child of the flower. _**

**_He shall be the Dark Lord's equal in every feature down to blood, but what the Dark Lord lacks, he possess. And one must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The conclusion lies in the hands of the Chosen One… _**

****

_He stared determinedly at his hands, listening to his son's labored breathing._

_"This…" Darian whispered, crumpling the paper. He blinked several times, obviously unsure of how to react. Finally, he took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Are…are you sure…?" _

_Severus closed his eyes, unable to bear the overwhelmed look on his son's face. "Yes," he murmured. "You are the only one who fits that description." Indeed, he, Severus, was one of the only real traitors of the Dark Lord, and Lily had to have been the flower._

_Darian slowly shook his head. "I can't," he said weakly. "I can't…" He shook his head more violently. "I can't do this!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet, staring at the paper clutched in his hand as if it were the Devil himself. "How...how could you put this on my shoulders!" _

_Lily's eyes filled with tears and she stood up, wrapping her arms around him. _

_"No!" Darian snapped, yanking away from her. "Don't…" he broke off and turned away. "Don't baby me. I need to…I need to handle this." He ran another hand through his hair._

_"Darian, honey, you know we'd give anything for it to be false," Lily whispered, though she made no other attempt to pull him into a hug. _

_Severus also stood beside his son. "If it could be changed…if there were any possibility that it was someone else…" he swallowed. "But it's obvious that it's you."_

_"That's just it!" Darian exclaimed almost happily. "It's far too obvious that it's me! Prophecies are usually very complicated. Why would this one be so easy?"_

_"Darian, you're in denial," Severus told him calmly, placing a hand on either shoulder. "You've just got to relax and-"_

_"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?" Darian roared, wrenching away from his parents' hold. "How can either on of you say that? You don't know what it's like for this to be…to be just thrust on your shoulders." He stopped and paced in front of them for a moment. "Right when everything was going perfect this had to happen," he whispered weakly, sinking on the couch._

_Lily sat beside him, wrapping an arm around him and holding him against her chest. This time, Darian didn't resist and leaned into mother, his shoulders shaking in silent sobs. Severus moved closer to his son and sat on the other side of him, reaching out a hand to rub soothingly on the boy's back._

_"It will be okay," he placated softly. "You are not alone in this, and don't ever forget that."_

_"Yes," Lily agreed, brushing a strand of raven hair away from Darian's face. "We're here for you."_

_Darian looked up at them with gleaming eyes and swallowed heavily, reaching a hand up to angrily mop away the tears that were threatening to fall. He said nothing but leaned into his parents' hold over him and closed his eyes. _

_Severus watched him with a concerned look. He reached out to tuck a strand of loose hair behind Darian's ear and looked up to meet Lily's soft eyes._

Severus observed each freshly made potion almost carelessly, paying no heed to young Miss Diggory's potion, which was starting to shoot violet sparks. His mind was stuck on his recent dream.

The mood of the dream was quite unlike his previous one, of course. It may have been the fact that it was many years later. But Severus felt there was something very different about his latest dream from his first one. What if his latest dream was actually _another _alternate? Was that possible? He remembered Albus telling him that one of his dreams might not be as pleasant as the first. Severus didn't really find this one all that pleasant, though it was a far cry better then his world.

It suddenly hit him of how Darian must have felt when the boy had first heard of the prophecy (a different one from his dream but with the same meaning). He imagined the Darian in his dream would probably have broken down had it not been for Lily and him. Did his Darian feel the same way? Sure Dumbledore had been there, but Darian hadn't had a parent to hold on to.

Months ago, when Severus had first discovered that he was a father, he had felt that the boy was far too old to be crying on shoulders and being soothed by comforting touches but now he realized that Darian did need someone like that, someone like the Severus in his dream. But could he be that person?

Severus shook his head furiously. He was different from the Severus in his dream. He had lived a life of solitude while the alternate of himself had spent those years raising Darian and loving Lily.

The bell signaled the end of class. Severus absently dismissed them, marking each potion as an automatic 'A' without even looking at them.

A/N- Thanks and tell me what you think.


	21. Chapter twenty one These Dreams part two

Once again, I apologize for the long wait. My grandfather was sent to the hospital again, which is really taking its toll on my grandmother. Anyways, I typed this up in like fifteen minutes because I wanted to get something out before I go to England for a few weeks so its not betaed or anything.

Thanks again to my faithful reviewers, it really is nice to see that some people appreciate this story.

Very slight reference to HBP ahead.

Chapter twenty one- These Dreams part two

Darian woke up early Saturday morning. He found himself heading toward the library, hoping to find it devoid of life though when he spotted Hermione seated in the Potion's section, he found he wasn't nearly as disappointed as he thought he would be.

"Morning," he greeted tiredly.

Hermione jumped, nearly upsetting her inkbottle in the process. "Oh, hi Darian," she said breathlessly. "No one is usually up this early."

"Yeah, I know," Darian said, sliding into the chair beside her. "That's why I came."

He scanned the books that were piled in front of him. "Potions?"

"Yeah," Hermione said reluctantly. "Your dad is giving more assignments lately then he has in the past five years and most of them can't be found in any of these books!" She smiled as he flinched at the title. "How is he anyway?"

Darian shrugged, not knowing what she expected him to say.

"He seems a bit preoccupied lately," Hermione continued, sifting through a thick looking tomb. "I was wondering if it had anything to do with your lessons."

Darian laughed weakly. "Not everything in his life has to do with me, Hermione."

Hermione arched an eyebrow. "Really," she stated dully. "Then I suppose you don't realize how his mood always seems to depend on your well-being?"

Darian stared at her, recalling all the times that his father had been in a particularly foul mood. A tiny flutter of hope blossomed within his heart but he forcefully squashed it.

"It could be the Order," he said quietly. "Or Voldemort, or his classes-"

"You do realize you're just grasping for straws, don't you?" Hermione said, grinning broadly, proud to have been proven right.

"Look," Darian said shakily. "He may not hate me anymore, but…"

"He's looked rather tired lately," Hermione interrupted, smiling shyly at him. "Have your lessons been going well?"

Darian released a frustrated sigh, feeling that it was useless to try to talk down Hermione Granger. "I can't clear my mind enough for Occlumency," he murmured reluctantly before shaking his head. "Not that I'd know the progress I've been doing now. He's canceled the last few sessions."

"I'm sure he's just got a lot on his mind, and don't worry, you'll get it eventually."

Darian frowned disbelievingly but said nothing.

"Are you sure he's-"

"Have your finished Professor Lupin's essay yet?" he changed the subject hastily.

Hermione looked at him oddly. "Of course," she said finally.

"I was having trouble comparing the difference between a banshee and a poltergeist," he took out his half-finished essay (one foot long) and looked at her expectantly.

"What about Potions?"

"It's not due for another three days," Darian answered nonchalantly. "I'm almost done anyway, and by the looks of it, so are you."

Hermione folded her arms importantly. "Now Darian Snape, you know perfectly well the difference between a poltergeist and a banshee!"

Darian smiled. "I do," he said smoothly. "But I still wouldn't mind you lecturing me on them?" he asked suggestively.

Hermione snorted. "As long as you don't fall asleep…."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Severus, my boy, if I could have a word?" Dumbledore stepped in front of the pensive Potion's Master before he could leave the Great Hall at lunch.

"If you would be so kind to make it quick, Albus, I do have some important business to attend to," Severus said bitingly.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I am simply concerned about you, Severus; the whole staff is."

Snape scowled, obviously displeased of the idea that the entire staff was conversing about his health. "I would appreciate it if you would kindly keep your nose out of my-"

"And I would appreciate it if you would listen to me for once, Severus Snape," Dumbledore interrupted in a surprisingly icy voice. "You have bags under your eyes, you are getting thinner, and you have not been this grouchy since before you found out about Darian," Dumbledore continued, throwing a piercing stare at the man.

Snape bit back a nasty retort and decided to remain silent.

"I know you haven't made any attempt to stop those dreams, Severus, or else you would be getting more sleep," Dumbledore said softly, his blue eyes staring up at the man in concern. "If you continue on like this then you will find yourself living in a world of delusions, both in dreams and reality."

Severus glared at the man before snapping waspishly, "And what if I don't _want_ these dreams to stop, Albus? What if these dreams are becoming a sort of release for me?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Severus, you cannot continue to live like this."

"Why not?" Severus snapped, his dark eyes flashing. "I know the difference between dreams and reality, Albus, I'm not mental."

"But if you continue to live your life solely for these dreams then you will find yourself living a life of delusions," Dumbledore reasoned gently. "You don't seem to realize how dangerous this could be. Despite how much more time you try to spend sleeping, these dreams are preventing you from having a healthy sleep."

Snape drew himself up to full height, sending a smoldering glare down at the older man. "I am starting to believe that _you _just don't want _me_ to be happy," he spat furiously.

"_Severus!_" Dumbledore admonished. "_Listen to yourself!_ You are living only to experience memories from a world that never happened. A world, Severus, that can never be no matter how much we wish it! It is already started to eat away at you."

"And how is that, Albus?" Severus asked coldly.

Dumbledore's blue eyes resembled chips of ice and despite his smaller size, his gave off an aura that far surpassed the taller man's. "You have already missed two of Darian's lessons, Severus. You are brushing off your son so you can spend your time sleeping in hopes of seeing a son that is not yours! Darian, _this_ Darian is your son, _not _the ones that you dream about. _This_ Darian has so much more strengths then _them_, Severus, and yet you fail to see the talents that your son in _this_ universe possesses." He paused for a moment, shaking his silvery head. "You are missing him, Severus. By the time you realize that the son you long for the most is right in front of you, it's going to be too late."

Severus clenched his right fist in silent fury, hating how the headmaster's words echoed through his head with such truth that he couldn't even come up with a valid retort.

"Christmas holidays are coming up in a month," Dumbledore told him, having calmed down. "Take your son to the Snape manor and celebrate with him. He has never had a real Christmas. Give him that chance, Severus."

"He does not wish to go with me," Severus said instantly.

"Have you asked?" Dumbledore questioned evenly.

Snape opened his mouth and closed it, avoiding the headmaster's eyes.

"Severus, you and Darian were getting along so well before you started to have these dreams. Please, don't take away the chance for him to have a family when he needs it so desperately," Dumbledore pleaded.

The older man stared down at his unconvinced colleague before adding, "And don't give him another reason to end his life, Severus." With that, he turned and walked out of sight, leaving a very pale Potion's Master in his wake.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Lily!" Severus shouted as he stepped through the front door and entered the Grimmauld Place. "Lils, you here?"

_He entered the kitchen to find his wife seated among the dozens of other Order members. Beside her was James Potter, a tense, distraught look on his boyish face that told Severus instantly that there was something very wrong. The instant he entered, all conversation stopped and every eye settled on him._

"_Severus," Albus Dumbledore greeted softly from the head of the table. "It is good to see you safe."_

_Lily looked up from where she had been staring down at her hands, her glazed eyes gazing at him as if she had never seen him before. With a choked sob, Lily stood and crossed the room, throwing her arms around him._

_Severus awkwardly held a sobbing Lily to his shoulder, unsure what to make of the ashen faces around him._

"_I th-thought y-you were….d-dead!" Lily cried, clutching him to her as if he were sand threatening to fall through her fingers._

_Severus frowned, looking from the mass of curly red hair that was currently clinging to his left shoulder, to Albus Dumbledore's troubled eyes. "What happened?" he asked slowly, wearily, almost not even wanting to know what had caused such a reaction from the Order and his wife._

"_There was an attack on Diagon Alley," Dumbledore told him quietly. "You were not caught up in it?"_

_Severus shook his head. He had left earlier that day to attend an assembly the Minister of Magic had called for in Diagon Alley. He hadn't, however stayed for only a few minutes before heading to the Apothecary to pick up some potion's ingredients before leaving. _

"_It took quite a while to get through the crowd to the Apothecary," he said, addressing the whole of the Order. "After realizing that they didn't have a specific ingredient I needed, I left to go to Hogsmeade instead."_

_Dumbledore seated himself at the front of the table again. "Have a seat," he commanded gently. _

_Severus carefully untangled Lily from his arms, who seemed reluctant to let him go, gently coaxing her into a chair before taking the seat on the other side of her, keeping her hand held firmly within his as he stared attentively at Albus._

"_It was mass chaos," Dumbledore informed him solemnly. "There were at least fifty of Voldemort's most loyal Death Eaters as well as Lord Voldemort himself and……" he trailed off uncertainly, raising his wizened eyes to stare into Severus's. _

"_And?" Severus asked impatiently, his heart racing. _'Oh, God, please no, please…..'

_Albus looked at him sadly before saying quietly, "The Half-Blood Prince."  
Severus felt his heart turn to ice and Lily gave a loud, rasping sob, dissolving into tears once more. Severus continued to stare blankly at the old man. He felt numb, oddly separated from those who were shifting uncomfortably around him.  
"What…" he paused to clear the rising lump in his throat. "What did he do?" _

_Dumbledore stared at the couple mournfully, hating how their lives had turned around so quickly, all because of the sole child that had created together. He shuddered slightly, wondering how on earth two wonderful people such as Lily and Severus could have made a demon such as their son together._

_"Killed the Minister," Mad-Eyed Moody interrupted gruffly, his magically eye staring fiercely at Severus. "Tortured wizards, witches, and children alike. Especially the children, the damn bastard's always favored the screams of children as you all…"_

_"**SHUT UP!**" Lily screamed at the top of her lungs, sending her chair flying as she leapt out of it. "Don't you dare-! Don't you **dare** call Darian a bastard!"_

_"Lily," Dumbledore said gently, also standing. "You know what he's done…" he trailed off as the redhead burst into hysterical tears once again, and glanced over at Severus, who had his face buried in his hands._

_"I know! I know!" Lily sobbed, sinking back into her chair. "I just….just…why! **Why? **What did we do wrong?" she gasped, her shoulder trembling._

_Severus slowly lifted his head to meet his mentor's blue gaze. He knew the answer to his wife's question just as she did: there simply was no reason. He closed his eyes and thought back to when he had just found out about Lily's pregnancy, how happy the two of them had been at the prospect of becoming parents. And when Darian had finally arrived, his head already full of silky black hair and his blue-green eyes bright with life……_

_Severus tried not to think that in a mere sixteen years, that baby had turned out to be a cold-blooded murderer; the heir of Slytherin; the Half-Blood Prince; Lord Voldemort's most trusted and loyal Death Eater. The single question had ringed through Severus's mind ever since his son's betrayal when Darian had been entering his fourth year: Why?_

_Lily and he had always loved their son more then anything else in the world; they still did despite all that he had done. Severus had realized that something was happening with Darian in the boy's third year, when his son had suddenly became so distant, rarely speaking to his parents or even his best friend, Hermione Granger._

_Darian had started to hang around with Draco Malfoy and though it was completely out of character for the boy, Severus had let him be, thinking that it was just a teenage stage. However, at the beginning of Darian's fourth year, his son's friendship with Miss Granger had abruptly ended after he had loudly accused her of 'Polluting Hogwarts with her mudblood filth.' Unfortunately, neither Severus nor Lily had heard of the incident until Darian had ran away from school by portkey a few days later, leaving the message:_

_'The Dark Lord has risen again. Enemies of the heir, beware,' written clearly in blood red letters. Below the message had been Darian's insignia, along with his famous nickname: the Half-Blood Prince, which he had created at age eleven, using Severus's mother's maiden name, Prince._

_The first three weeks after Darian's disappearance, Severus and Lily had repeatedly convinced themselves that Darian had merely been captured and impersonated, until he had been revealed as Lord Voldemort's Heir when the Death Eaters had attacked Godric's Hollow. And his son, his own flesh and blood had cast the Cruciatus on he, Severus, before continuing on to fire his first 'Avada Kedavra' at Peter Pettigrew._

_'If only I had done something,' Severus thought to himself, a burning sensation creeping up behind his eyes, recalling the darkness that had shadowed his son's once vibrant green eyes. 'If only I had talked to him, or demanded that he stay away from Malfoy.' Severus clenched his eyes tightly shut, trying desperately to shut out the rising image of an eleven year old Darian, grinning proudly as he presented the recently caught golden snitch to his mother and father…._

_'If only…'_

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Severus shot awake with such force that he felt his neck creak. He sat in his bed, simply staring blankly at the ceiling as he tried to collect his thoughts.

_'Darian,'_ he thought almost longingly as his son's face from his dream flashed before his eyes and though Darian hadn't actually been in his dream, he could still see the monster his son had turned out to be.

What had happened to the boy in that world? He had parents who loved him, so why would he even think about joining the Dark Lord? The darkness in Darian's eyes was palpable, a darkness that shadowed the boy's eyes in this universe.

Severus suppressed a shiver at the thought of his Darian sacrificing his life to the Dark Lord. He felt an odd sense of pride that his son hadn't given into the darkness like the other Darian had, despite that fact that his Darian had been through so much more then his counterpart had.

_'This Darian has so much more strength then them,'_ Dumbledore's words echoed through his head and he swallowed guiltily, knowing what the old man said was true.

_'But do I care if my Darian is stronger then them? I would have Lily and a son that I had raised,'_ Severus pondered on this thought and shook his head. He couldn't take this anymore. These dreams were killing him.

_'But am I willing to give them up?'_

Severus grew cold at thought of never seeing Lily again, even in his dreams. Of never seeing how innocent Darian could have been……. He couldn't give his dreams up; they were his life, his fantasy.

_'If you continue on like this then you will find yourself living in a world of delusions, both in dreams and reality.'_

Severus shook his head. He wouldn't give up these dreams. They were just a temporary release, nothing he couldn't handle.

_'I can control them.'_


	22. Chapter twenty two Unwelcome Discovery

Thanks once again to everyone that has reviewed! I really am trying to get these chapters typed up. Football season is almost over so I'll have more time (I hope). The other chapter has already been started. Thanks for your patience.

And thanks to my faithful beta, Badbugz.

Chapter twenty two- Unwelcome Discovery

"I'm really going to get old doing this," Darian muttered as he took another gulp from the steaming goblet he held, nearly gagging on the taste. It was a week until the full moon, which was coming early this month.

"Yes, well you get used to it," Remus said cheerfully, having already consumed his dosage. "It will become a routine soon enough, you'll see."

Darian watched the remaining contents of his potion with a look of apprehension. "But the taste never numbs, does it?"

"Well, I have been taking the Wolfsbane for over twenty years and it still tastes horrible," Remus said thoughtfully, "but it does get easier."

Darian muttered something rather rude into his goblet as he took another tiny sip.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing…"

"If you are finished, Lupin, it would be deeply appreciated that you would remove your presence from my office so we may begin our lesson," Snape said moodily from where he sat at his desk, watching the two werewolves through narrowed eyes.

"Since you asked so kindly, Severus," Remus said pleasantly, knowing it would irk the Potion's Master.

"Leave Lupin," Snape snapped, pointing to the door. "You have had your dose and we have no need for you."

Darian frowned over at his father, finishing the last drop of his potion with a grimace.

"Good luck, Darian," Remus said pityingly. "You're going to need it with Severus being as crabby as he's been lately." He pulled open the door and left before Snape could make a nasty retort.

Severus shook his head forcefully, feeling a tendril of exhaustion reach out for him. "Wand out," he said tiredly, fighting back a yawn and wanting nothing more for the boy to leave so he could sleep.

Darian set the empty goblet down and looked across the desk at his father in concern. "Professor, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure-"

"My health is none of your concern!" Snape spoke with a bit more force then he intended to.

Darian didn't flinch, Severus noted with a small feeling of pride, but narrowed his eyes in a similar way he had mere moments ago.

"You haven't been getting enough sleep," he stated wisely, obviously recognizing the symptoms through personal experience. "You've been having dreams haven't you? Nightmares?"

Severus heaved a frustrated sigh, mentally berating himself for showing the slightest bit of weakness in front of his son. The damn boy was far too observant for a sixteen year-old.

"Just get your wand out, Darian," he said wearily, standing and walking past the desk so he was standing in front of the boy.

Darian, however, was adamant. "Was it about Voldemort?"

"Get your damn wand out and shut up!" Snape barked. His head was pounding because of the boy's consistent nosiness.

Darian did flinch and took a small step back, looking confused at the force of his words. Severus closed his eyes briefly, telling himself that taking his annoyance out on the boy wasn't the best thing that could be done.

"I apologize," he said quietly, the word sounding foreign to his lips yet he found himself saying it more in front of Darian. He turned away from the boy, feeling a surge of guilt streak through him as he realized how much he had been avoiding his son lately.

'When did I ever feel guilty about anything?' he asked himself.

"It's okay," Darian spoke from behind him. "I….know how you feel. I know how annoying it is for someone to pester you constantly about your well-being," he murmured, looking dejected.

Severus said nothing, marveling at how the boy always seemed to make his insides writhe with guilt without meaning to in just the span of a few words. Was it because of the dreams he was having? Was it because he felt guilty about wanting to dream about the other Darians rather then spend time with him?

'What the hell is wrong with me?' he asked himself again.

"Wand out," he said in a softer tone. He turned back around to find that Darian already had his wand raised, his features both determined and apprehensive.

"We haven't been making a lot of progress," Severus continued hesitantly, "and I know you probably haven't practiced which is understandable considering that we haven't has lessons for a while…"

"I practice every night," Darian interrupted. "But I don't think I'm doing it right," he muttered sullenly.

Severus nodded, a bit surprised, and raised his wand. "We'll see then, won't we? _Legilimens_!"

Instantly, a rush of memories and emotions that weren't his overcame Severus.

He was reminded of his last attempt at Occulmency with Darian; a shiver ran down his spine at the thought of the boy's blank emerald eyes.

A memory appeared of a six year-old Harry Potter nodding off on a couch beside an old woman, Severus recognized her as Arabella Figg, with a thick picture album showing a different variety of cats open on his lap. Snape nearly found himself smiling as he stared at the snoozing little boy whose glasses were drooping off one ear.

The memory shifted and he was once again speeding through his son's ribbon of memories, mentally willing the boy to concentrate.

A ten year-old Harry was sitting, trembling in a tree on a farm of some sort while several vicious looking dogs (one he recognized from Darian's memories the year before) snapped at the boy's foot hanging dangerously within reach while an incredibly large woman boomed at the child in fury.

Severus felt a week push against his mind and an instant before the memory shifted again, he could nearly make out Darian's form near the base of the tree. He felt a small twinge of pride as he realized that the boy obviously had been practicing.

Another memory shift and Severus found himself in the Department of Mysteries. He took in the scene before him: Harry was laying on his stomach, his body terrifyingly limp and his breathing coming out in harsh rasps. Dumbledore was a few feet in front of him, standing with his wand out, his blue eyes darting around the room. There was no twinkle in them,

_"Kill me now, Dumbledore…." _A voice that made the hairs on Severus's neck rise echoed through the chamber. Dumbledore whirled around to the source of the noise, as did Severus. He was surprised to find that the Dark Lord's voice was coming from Harry's mouth and was dimly aware of Darian's form beginning to appear a few feet from beside him.

_"If death is nothing, Dumbledore, then kill the boy…"_ The Dark Lord hissed from Harry's mouth. Severus faltered, not having any time to react to a quick, "_Protego!"_ spoken from behind him. Suddenly, he was engulfed in his own memories:

_"Please, Father!" a six year-old Severus sobbed as he was shoved forcefully into the cold basement that he was often locked in for punishment. "Get in there you little shit! And don't let me hear a peep until morning!" his father bellowed before slamming the door shut, and Severus was plunged into darkness…_

_He was sixteen, kneeling into the shin-deep snow at a shiny gravestone reading, "Eileen Elizabeth Prince Snape Beloved Wife and Mother." Tears trailed silently down his pale cheeks and splashed onto the headstone, melting away tiny dots of snow. And from afar, a figure with dark red hair approached and knelt beside him, wrapping a soothing arm around his shaking shoulders…_

_He was eighteen, gazing into Lily Evans's green eyes wistfully. "Marry me," he whispered, bringing her hands up to his lips…_

Severus tried to clear his mind of the rising emotions that had risen at the sight of the memories that had so long since been forgotten. He found it a little more difficult though, and knew at once that he was out of practice.

An image of a four year-old Darian rose to his mind and what tender grasp he had on his emotions crumbled at the sight of the boy that could have been his.

_"I find it sad that you would so easily give up your own son in replacement of these fantasies that can never happen. These Darians are not yours!" Dumbledore snapped, his blue eyes holding no warmth. _

Snape recalled the statement from the conversation they had had earlier that day. He was just about to push the boy completely from his mind when the image of Dumbledore's angry face dissolved and Severus found himself back in his office. His knees buckled but he managed to regain his balance easily.

Darian was standing in the exact spot he had been before the spell, his emerald eyes staring at Snape piercingly.

Severus gave him a nod. "Well done," he praised quietly, letting a small amount of pride creep into his voice. Darian continued to stare up at him and Severus noticed for the first time how ashen the boy's face was. He frowned, wondering if the Darian's success had taken up all of his magical energy.

"Do you need a Pepper-Up potion before we try again?" he asked. Darian shook his head with a bit more force to just be a negative answer.

"You…." Darian croaked and paused, clearing his throat. "You….your dreams. They're about…" he paused again and Severus felt his heart stop. Had the boy seen the last parts of his memory? The look on Darian's face told him clearly that indeed he had.

There was a long moment of silence in which they merely stared at one another. Snape opened his mouth to say something, but was unsure of what to say.

Finally, Darian whispered, "I'm sorry I'm not one of _them_." His gaze bore into Snape's dark eyes and he lowered his head, staring at the floor. "Believe me, I'd have given anything to have been raised by two parents who loved me," Darian continued, his eyes shining oddly. He swallowed and shook his head, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm not perfect," he said in a trembling voice. "I'm sorry I'm not perfect like _them_." His head shot up and he stared at Severus, who was frozen like a deer caught in headlights. "I'm never going to be good enough for you, am I?" he asked, his hurt seeping through the harsh words.

"Listen to me," Severus found his voice. "Just listen, they are just dreams-"

"Yes," Darian interrupted quietly. "They are just dreams-your dreams, or should I say your fantasies?"

Severus cleared his throat. "No, it's not like that-"

"Then what?" Darian asked sharply, his voice tight. "Is that why you've been brushing me off? Avoiding lessons that were 'oh-so-important-for-the-precious-boy-who-lived's-survival-but-are-not-near-as-important-as-your-fantasies-about-a-boy-who-doesn't-exist?'"

Severus opened his mouth and bared his teeth, feeling irritation boiling inside at the boy's mocking tone. "I do care about your survival you stupid boy!"

"But your precious dreams are more important?" Darian said bitingly, sneering. "By the way, lovely way to express your care for my survival! I was constantly called 'stupid boy' during my oh so wonderful childhood that you know nothing about!"

"I will not be spoken to like that by a-" Snape cut himself off, biting his tongue and silently counting to ten.

"By a what?" Darian demanded. "Go on, say it! Say what you've wanted to say for months and yet haven't been able to because of Dumbledore! You're scared Dumbledore will be displeased and you'll feel like a rejected, unwanted boy who-"

"Shut up you bloody werewolf!" Severus roared at the top of his lungs, taking an intimidating step forward.

Darian's red face drained of the color he had retained during his rant and he stared at his father with a lost expression. Snape took a steadying breath.

"You hate me because I'm a werewolf," Darian stated faintly. "Why didn't I see it before?" he asked himself in a weakly comical voice.

Severus cleared his throat again, feeling uncomfortable. "Don't take it as an insult," he snapped, pushing the feeling aside viciously. "You _are _a werewolf after all…"

Darian looked at him for a moment before saying indifferently, "Goodbye, Professor," and storming out of the room, slamming the door.

Severus stood by himself for a moment, giving his mind time to catch up with what had just occurred. He took a deep, angry breath as he realized what had just transpired. _'I've done it again,'_ he told himself, but forced himself not to feel any remorse. What was done was done, and nothing could change it.

Feeling quite exhausted by the long evening and knowing he should get some rest before Dumbledore stormed in, yelling at him about the boy's complaints, he entered his rooms and collapsed lifelessly in his bed. He didn't even bother to occlude his mind.

&&&&&&&&&&&

_He gratefully entered the town of Hogsmeade, glad to have finally approached something familiar. It had been a long day and the sun was just starting to sink below the horizon, casting a gold glow over the small village, matching the colors of autumn perfectly._

_"Good evening, Severus," Madame Rosemerta said as he entered the Three Broomsticks. "The usual, or something stronger perhaps? You look as if you could use it."_

_"No, thank you, just a gillywater," Severus said, sinking gratefully into a chair at an empty table, allowing himself to relax for the first time in days. He looked around the pub, wondering why it was so empty. Not that it had ever been as full as it once was since the war had started, but as it was Saturday, he had thought the Hogwarts students would be visiting. _

_At the thought of the annoying brats that he had once taught, he was reminded of Darian, who was in his last year at Hogwarts. Severus smiled wryly at the thought of seeing his family again, and despite the fact that he had only been apart from them for a little over a week, he felt as if he hadn't seen them in years. He sipped his gillywater and felt a sense of relief wash over him as he realized that he'd be able to make it to Darian's graduation this week._

_"It's quiet tonight," Severus spoke to Madame Rosemerta, who was cleaning the tables unnecessarily. _

_She nodded and straightened up, looking at him solemnly. "Yes…terrible thing it is, really…terrible," she dabbed her eyes with a napkin and continued to clean the tables._

_Severus frowned. "What's terrible?"_

_"Oh, I thought you knew. There was a Death Eater attack on Hogwarts yesterday." She threw him a watery smile. "It was a tragedy, indeed, but a joyous occasion. You-Know-Who's dead, Severus!"_

_Severus felt his insides freeze and a knot in the pit of his stomach. He slammed the empty glass down. "What?"_

_"Yes," she nodded. "He's gone….but there were a few losses I'm afraid…."_

_He felt paralyzed. He should have felt happy, overjoyed. The Dark Lord was dead. Gone. After all the years of fighting against the monster, protecting his family. It was over…it was finally over._

_So why didn't he feel like celebrating?_

_Was Darian alright? Surely if something had happened to Darian, Lily would've informed him….. 'Ah yes,' a voice said slyly to him. 'But she couldn't get in contact with you, now could she?'_

_Darian's face flashed through his mind. But if the Dark Lord was dead, and Darian was the only one who could kill him then didn't that mean he was fine?_

_"Have you heard anything else? How many deaths?"_

_"Around ten," she told him softly, frowning upon realizing that Severus wasn't as happy as she would have thought. _

_Severus drew in a sharp breath and clutched his chest as if something had pierced it. He stood up shakily, swaying as he struggled to clear his mind. He stumbled out of the pub without paying for his gillywater, and ignored Rosemerta's angry yells as he left. _

_The June air was warm, yet it hit his lungs like being doused with ice water. He swayed drunkenly, telling himself firmly that he was overreacting, that somehow he'd know if something had happened to his son…somehow he would…_

_The new of the Dark Lord's death was mind-boggling, yet it barely registered in his mind; he'd celebrate later. First he had to find out if his son was all right._

_The walk to Hogwarts had never been so long and despite the countless nights Severus had stumbled to Hogwarts to report to Dumbledore as he usually did after completing an assignment for the Order, he found himself wandering off the path quite a few times in his haste to reach his old school._

_Hogwarts loomed over him as he passed through the barriers, but instead of the usual magical scene the castle always had presented in the past, it seemed dark, desolate with only the Great Hall light. _

_Severus grasped the brass handle and pushed the large door open. As soon as he stepped into the Entrance Hall, he felt the immediate wrongness of the place. The castle's aura had always given off a certain reassuring presence, and yet now it seemed as if a terrible sadness hung over the place like a weighted veil. _

_He approached the door to the Great Hall, his steps echoing off the otherwise silent corridors. Hogwarts was never this silent. There was always the laughter of the students, the murmurs of the portraits, the whispers of the ghosts, and the cackling of Peeves followed by an angry shout from a staff member (usually Filch or McGonagall), yet he heard nothing…absolutely nothing…complete silence…_

_It sent shiver down his spine, and Severus took a deep breath before carefully pushing the door open, only to realize that it was locked and warded. He wrapped loudly on it, wincing as his knuckles came in contact with the stone door. _

_Nearly Headless Nick floated through the door, his neck looking fully attached to his head.Severus found that odd; the ghost always seemed to flaunt how gruesome it looked to have one's head hanging on by a single strand of flesh. _

_"Who goes there?" he asked in an unusually commanding voice before setting eyes on Severus. "Professor Snape," he greeted, bowing deeply. _

_Severus didn't bother to correct the ghost on the fact that he wasn't a professor anymore. "Nick," he greeted quietly, nodding. "I need to get in."_

_Nick cleared his throat importantly. "I'm sorry, Professor, but the headmaster clearly stated that no one was allowed in for the time being."_

_Severus gritted his teeth, his anxiety rising, 'Darian…' "I am a member of the Order. I have just returned from a mission." He stated tightly. "He will want to see me."_

_"Oh?" Nick questioned, looking speculatively at him. "And how can I be sure if you are the real Severus Snape? You never know now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is gone who will pop up here to take revenge. "_

_Severus closed his eyes, mentally telling himself that it was impossible to hex a ghost and that he should at least be grateful that Nick wouldn't let an imposter in. He took a deep breath, wracking his brain for something that would convince the idiot ghost that he was not an imposter._

_"Remus Lupin almost bit me when I was in school here because of a prank Sirius Black played that nearly caused him to be expelled," Severus said through clenched teeth, practically spitting out Black's name. _

_Nick observed him silently. "Not everyone knew about that, but it could be easily found."_

_"The Order of the Phoenix's previous location was at Godric's Hollow."_

_Nick frowned and disappeared back through the door to the Hall. Severus leaned against the wall and waited impatiently, his insides writhing. _

_The door opened a little and Severus let out a sigh of relief. Dumbledore greeted him with his wand drawn, though he lowered it as he caught sight of Severus. _

_"It is good to see you safe, Severus," Dumbledore said, his tone very gentle, though Severus didn't notice. "Lily was frantic; what took you so long?"_

_"That blasted ghost," Severus snarled, throwing a poisonous look in the ghost's direction. He briefly wondered why Dumbledore didn't look happy at the news of the war's final ending. In fact, Dumbledore looked even older then Severus had ever seen him._

_Dumbledore nodded and opened the door wider for Severus to step in. He stared around the hall. Hundreds of purple sleeping bags littered the stone floor. The tables were pushed to the sides; the ceiling reflected the steadily darkening sky. Students were either conversing quietly or asleep despite the early hour. He could see more then a few students crying with a random teacher trying their best to console them. He saw few happy faces, but dismissed it with the thought that the Dark Lord's death and the war's end hadn't really hit them yet, just as it hadn't hit him._

_"We are sending them home when school ends in a few days, though classes have, of course, been cancele, The students are to stay in the Hall or with a teacher at all times," Dumbledore explained briefly, watching the students as a grandfather might his grandchildren. _

_Severus bit his lower lip, his eyes scanning the sea of purple for the familiar form of his son or even the bushy hair of one Hermione Granger, whom he was sure Darian would stick around with. He wanted desperately to ask about Darian, though he knew it would be disrespectful, and, instead, asked softly, "How many?"_

_Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Twelve dead, sixty three injured, the rest were lucky enough to be in their dorms at the time." He eyed his former colleague with pity; waiting for the question he knew would come._

_Severus clenched his fist: Darian never stayed in his dorm… But Voldemort was dead, so he should survive, right?_

_He occupied his mind by searching the crowd for Lily, until he spotted her hunched silhouette near the fireplace where she was sitting on a bench, wrapped in her sleeping blanket and resting her head on the teacher's table._

_His heart stopped. No. Lily would be with Darian right now…she would. She would be comforting him. Severus knew Darian would be devasted for being responsible for someone…anyone's death. Why was she alone? Unable to resist any longer, he turned to Dumbledore._

_"Darian…he's…he's alright isn't he?" Severus asked slowly. He was overreacting; Darian was probably comforting one of his younger classmates…or maybe he was helping Poppy…yes…that was it…_

_Dumbledore avoided his glance and settled his blue gaze on the sky. Finally, he took a deep breath. "Your son fought so well, just like his father," Dumbledore said in an extremely soft voice. "He saved everyone with his strongest weapon: love. We'd all be gone right now if he had not destroyed Voldemort and now I believe every one of Voldemort's victim's souls, including Tom Riddle's, can finally be put to rest."_

_"Albus," Severus whispered in a shaking voice. "You didn't answer my question."_

_Dumbledore stared straight at him. "I wish I didn't have to say this, Severus," he whispered very gently._

_Severus froze, his mind trying to come up with all the possible reasons for Dumbledore to say those nine words besides the worst. Darian was blind…or maybe he wasn't able to walk….there were plenty of things Dumbledore wouldn't like to tell him._

_"After Darian killed Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy retaliated by trying to take the one thing Darian loved the most from him," he paused. "He fired the Killing Curse at Miss Granger and Darian tried to save her," Dumbledore explained very carefully, putting a wrinkled hand on either shoulder. "He took the curse for her. Darian's dead, Severus."_

A/N- Tell me what you thought.


	23. Chapter twenty three Stressful Times

I really want to thank all of my reviewers for sticking with me through my painfully long waits. I am not loosing interest or giving up on this story. In fact, the next update will about a week, if not less, away as I am already done with the next chapter. I seemed to finally have gotten past my six month road block and hopefully I wont run into another one.

I do apologize for the long wait. The holidays were very stressful, I only just got everything done. My whole family came down and I had to watch my little cousins. Not only that but my Grandfather died the day after Christmas. So overall I havent had much of a vacation and school is already starting up in a few more days. Life really sucks like that sometimes.

Hopefully 2006 won't be as crappy as '05 was.

Also, if anyone wants to check my progress on the story, please see my lj listed under my homepage in my profile.

Without further ado...

Chapter twenty three- Stressful Times

Severus found it hard to concentrate on teaching the next morning. His head was pounding from the lack of sleep, his stomach cramping with hunger. He had skipped breakfast and lunch because he had felt like he would throw up anything he tried to digest.

All he could think about was the sight of Darian's lifeless body that Dumbledore had shown him in his dream. He had awoken seconds later and had immediately rolled over to the side of his bed and retched.

It had taken every ounce of self-control not to spring out of bed and burst into the Ravenclaw dorms like a lunatic. But Darian was furious with him, and Severus didn't have the right to act like a worried parent…not that he was, of course, he just needed to see Darian so he wouldn't see the boy's dead body every time he closed his eyes.

Severus braced himself as his sixth year NEWT classes came in. He waited impatiently, scanning the crowd of students for Darian. His stomach lurched when the bell rang and Darian had yet to show. He _needed_ to see that boy, dammit!

Setting his jaw, he hastily put the ingredients on the board and instructed a gruff, "Due at end of class." He waited silently, eyeing Hermione Granger as she carefully tipped her Porcupine Quills into her cauldron. In front of her, a Gryffindor, Severus was unsure of his name, asked her something, which she answered.

"Granger!" he barked and she jumped, nearly spilling the Quills all over the dungeon floor.

"Professor?"

"Just what do you think you are doing?" he drawled, glaring at her.

"Brewing a potion, sir."

"And did I give you instructions to teach every other student in this class?"

Hermione looked confused, her brow furrowed. "No, he didn't ask a question about the potion, he-"

"Ah," Severus interrupted, scowling; the class had grown silent. "Social life more important then your school work? I never thought I'd see the day, Granger. Five points from Gryffindor now get up here so I can arrange your detention this evening…"

Hermione's jaw dropped. "But I-"

"Five more points from Gryffindor. Would you like me to make it a week?"

Hermione shut her mouth and stood up, furiously striding over to her Professor's desk.

Severus glanced at the wide-eyed class. "What are you all staring at? Get back to work!" he barked, and the room was filled with the sound of chopping and slicing again.

Hermione glared up at Snape with hate-filled eyes. "I can understand if you're horrible to your students," she breathed quietly. "But why do you have to take out your problems on Darian? He's been through so much, and you know it!"

Severus sneered and was prepared to make a rather nasty retort, but decided against it. "Why isn't he in class, Miss Granger?" he asked instead, unable to keep a faint tremor out of his voice as the boy's lifeless body flashed through his mind.

Hermione's glare weakened slightly as she heard the drastic change in her Professor's voice. "He wasn't feeling well," she said quietly and shook her head. "Professor Vector said that there was a lunar disturbance last night that has affected when the full moon's going to set. It really made Remus and Darian very ill."

Severus blinked, surprised as an odd feeling flared up within him. Ill? Was it life threatening?

"How ill?" he asked softly.

"It will be setting even earlier then expected, and the original setting was already rather early as it is so its going to be a little dangerous because Darian and Remus haven't gotten to heal nearly as much as they should from the previous one," Hermione explained. "I think its setting tonight so Remus and Darian's emotions are really frazzled from the change, and they're getting weak too soon for it to be healthy."

Severus nodded, digesting the information. "Thank you, Miss Granger," he said quietly.

She frowned. "Professor. I'm sure he'd really like it if you visited him in the Hospital Wing," Hermione said softly.

He threw a sharp look at her and she shrugged. "It was just a suggestion," she murmured. "You know, parents usually tend to get a little worried when their child is as ill as Darian is right now, even if they are sixteen." She smiled briefly before returning to her cauldron.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Darian shifted uncomfortably in the sterile bed. He stared out of the window at the many stars that dotted the sky. The full moon would rise in exactly twenty minutes. He wasn't ready for this…it was too soon.

A smoking goblet sat innocently on the table beside his bed. Its contents had long since been consumed, though it continued to smoke.

Remus was on the other side of the room, staring out into the night's sky. From what he had told Darian, he to had never experienced such an early full moon. Darian braced himself mentally, knowing the night guaranteed pain. Snuffles gave a soft whine from where the large dog was curled up in one of the chairs.

Darian winced and gave his godfather a half-heartened smile. He reached out a hand, which Snuffles walked into, and stroked the thick mane. A bit of tension left his body as he continued to run his fingers through the soft hair.

"Save your strength, Darian," Remus said quietly from across the room.

Darian froze and looked up at him. "I'm not doing anything strenuous," he reasoned.

"I know," the other werewolf acknowledged. "But I don't know how this transformation is going to affect us. You need to rest until its time." Remus avoided Darian's gaze and continued to stare out the window.

Darian felt a jolt of fear as realization struck him: Remus was s_cared_. Remus was _never _scared when it came to transformations. He was always calm but now…. Darian felt nausea rise in his stomach and he clenched the sheets that covered him until his knuckles turned white before realizing how wearing it was getting and quickly stopped. He took a deep, shuddering breath, wondering how they were going to be able to survive the transformation if just clenching his fist was taxing.

"Can't we take a strengthening potion or something?" he asked quietly, pleadingly.

Remus shook his head. "It won't work. After having the Wolfsbane in your system for more then a few days, it neutralizes any other potion until after the transformation."

Darian's expression dimmed. Snuffles licked his fingers consolingly.

"Rest," Remus commanded softly, but the doors to the Hospital Wing opened and Dumbledore walked in.

"Remus, Darian," he greeted gently. "How are you two feeling?"

Darian looked away from the headmaster's stare and said nothing. Remus was silent as well. Dumbledore's eyes saddened.

"It is time to go," he said.

Remus nodded and stood up, swaying slightly as he did so. Darian took Dumbledore's proffered hand and stood up also. Instantly a wave of dizziness crashed over him and he swayed drunkenly before regaining his equilibrium.

The night air was cold and biting, washing over him like a bucket of icy water. The first snow of the season had yet to come though as Darian looked up at the clear sky, he had a feeling that it wouldn't be coming any time soon.

The stars twinkled down at them mockingly as Snuffles led them to the Whomping Willow, which promptly froze when he pawed it.

"I was hoping Severus would be willing to accompany us," Dumbledore said quietly once they'd settled into the single room. "He was…unfortunately….preoccupied with other things," the headmaster's tone grew cold and Remus looked at him wearily.

Darian winced at the words, knowing exactly what 'preoccupied' meant. He felt a sharp flare of pain in his heart as he thought about how his father would rather dream about an alternate version of himself then check on him before what promised to be a dangerous full moon. Was he really that detestable? Was he really that bad of a person that his own father would gladly trade him for another person? He bit his lip hard, staring unseeingly at the splintered bedpost, not even noticing when Dumbledore left.

He jumped when a hand settled on his shoulder and whirled around to see Remus.

"Don't worry," Remus said warmly. "It won't be that bad I'm sure."

Darian nodded, not bothering to correct the other werewolf on what he was so troubled about. He cleared his throat and thought of something to say to break the uncomfortable silence that had descended upon them.

Snuffles was curled up beside where Darian sat on the bare mattress. He nudged Darian's hand lightly with a cold nose, sniffing in an attempt to get the boy's attention.

"Hey, Snuffles," Darian whispered huskily, stroking the black mane. He blinked the dampness in his eyes as a wave of emotions washed over him. Remus sat beside him and wrapped a comforting arm around him. Darian resisted the urge to shrug it off.

"Christmas is coming up in a few weeks," Remus reminded him gently.

Darian nodded, smiling faintly without looking at him.

"Do you have any plans?"

He gave a weak laugh. "Just the usual."

Remus frowned. "You're not even going to the Weasleys'? What about your father? I'm sure he'd appreciate your company."

"I doubt it," Darian said tightly, brushing an invisible piece of lint off his baggy jeans.

Snuffles growled and Remus sighed. "Your father is a very lonely man, Darian. He hasn't opened his heart to anyone since your mother died. It may take some time for him to adjust to someone caring about him again, but I'm sure-" He broke off when Darian looked away.

"Alright," Remus began again. "What about Hermione? I'm sure she would love for you to meet her family."

Darian closed his eyes briefly, feeling a little shy at the thought of meeting Hermione's parents. He wondered what it would be like to spend the Christmas break with his female friend, without Ron's boisterousness to disturb the calm the two of them seemed to have together. He almost smiled at the thought of it, but grimaced as he remembered that it wouldn't just be Hermione and him, that her parents would be there as well. Not that he didn't want to meet them, he just knew that she would be occupied with spending time with her mother and father. She'd be with her family, something that would be beyond torment for Darian to see what a happy little family did at Christmas. A family that he was sure his would have been like had his mother survived, had he not been the 'Chosen One.'

"I don't want to interrupt their holiday," Darian said finally, gazing into nothingness.

They fell into awkward silence, each awaiting the pain they knew was to come.

Remus smiled at him. "You know," he began tentatively. "You could always stay with Sirius and I at the Grimmauld Place. You are always welcome there."

Snuffles gave a soft, 'whoof' of assurance. Darian felt his lips turn up faintly. "That'd be nice," he said finally, and they once again descended into silence, though the tension had eased somewhat.

Darian stiffened as he felt a familiar prickle of irritation spread over his body, making him almost numb until it quickly evolved into pain.

He briefly wondered if he'd ever be able to stop from screaming when he transformed.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Severus watched the full moon rise from where he stood at the stone bridge that connected the Owlry to the North Tower. The wind was violent this high up and it was so cold that he could have sworn that there was ice mixed with the wind. He wrapped his black cloak more securely around himself, watching the shadowed grounds with a feeling of apprehension.

Finally, he heard the tell-tale howl, matched by another, much higher one before three large figures shot out from under the Whomping Willow, skillfully dodging the limbs. He watched them hurry from the flailing branches with fascination, as if watching a new specimen feed on its prey.

"They are slower then usual," a quiet voice came from his left.

Severus showed none of the surprise Dumbledore had given him from sneaking up on him and planted a scowl on his face.

"I expected you would be up here," Dumbledore continued, linking his fingers and leaning against the chest-high, wall. "You had another dream didn't you? A rather…ah…unpleasant one?"

Severus nodded stiffly, watching as Snuffles entered the woods with Moony and Darian trailing behind at a much slower pace. He tore his eyes from the Forbidden Forest and met Dumbledore's blue ones.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked curtly. "Of course I had another dream; one usually get them every time one sleeps, you see…"

"Severus," Dumbledore admonished quietly. Snape raised a brow at the unspoken question.

The silence between them stretched until he sighed. "He was dead," he murmured, staring at the cobbled floor as if it were the most fascinating thing. "He had been killed by Lucius Malfoy to save Hermione Granger."

Dumbledore nodded in understanding. "I bet you wouldn't rather have that reality, now would you?"

Severus wordlessly shook his head, avoiding the headmaster's gaze.

"Nor would you have the one where Darian was a cold-blooded, murderer, who had cast the Cruciatus on you and was Voldemort's top Death Eater, would you?"

"No," he bit out harshly. "I wouldn't," he finished in a quieter tone.

"Do you understand now what I mean, Severus?" Dumbledore asked softly, gazing at him with tender eyes. "You know Darian would never turn dark, nor would he even allow Hermione Granger to be put in a fatal situation such as that. Darian is who he is for a reason. You have _this _boy for a reason, not _them_."

Severus stared out into the dotted sky, taking in a breath of crisp air. He knew what Dumbledore was trying to do, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that the old man was right, as always. Despite that, he couldn't bring himself to forgot the little, emerald eyed boy staring up at him with such innocence…such trust…

As if reading his mind, Albus said quietly, "For all you know, Severus, that little boy could have been the one to grow into Voldemort's trusted Death Eater."

Severus shook his head slowly. "It couldn't be," he whispered, staring at the full moon. "He wouldn't have-"

"Wouldn't have what Severus?" Dumbledore interrupted. "The boy in your dreams was only four. Nearly everyone is that innocent at four. I daresay even Tom Riddle was once an innocent of four."

Severus remained silent.

"Just as the teenager in your other dream could have been the same Darian who was to die after the final battle with Voldemort," Dumbledore continued in his calm voice that could easily trick Severus into thinking that everything was all right.

Severus closed his eyes briefly.

"I'm not trying to ruin it, Severus," Albus said softly. "I just care about you, my boy. And you are treading on dangerous grounds in dealing with these dreams. You are letting yourself get emotional involved, something that, as a master Occlumens, you know should not happen when it comes to what you may see in your mind."

"I know," Severus said abruptly. "I know…I just-"

"Have you talked to Darian about Christmas?" Albus interrupted, mercifully changing the subject.

Severus frowned, staring at his pale hands. "We had a bit of a fight," he murmured quietly, his hair covering his face so he wouldn't have to see the headmaster's disappointed look.

"What about?"

"He saw you lecturing me on my dreams," he admitted quietly, humiliatingly. "During an Occlumency lesson."

He heard Dumbledore sigh knowingly. They were silent again, which was interrupted by a pained howl echoing across the grounds. He felt his muscles tense and unconsciously clenched his fists until his knuckles were a pearly white.

"Well," Albus said, unflinchingly, after the howl had faded. "At least he's learning Occlumency." He gave Severus a faint smile, which the younger returned with a fierce scowl.

"It will work out, Severus," Albus went on. "Darian is a very forgiving person."

Severus nodded, knowing the truth in the words. "Yes….and it is going to get him killed one of these days," he whispered harshly, hating how a shiver ran up his spine at the words.

Albus looked at him for a moment. "He may be forgiving, but he can only take so much."

The older wizard stared into the sky for a few moments. "Darian has been through so much and every year I fear he will break under all of the emotional stress he's been put through. You _must_ control these dreams, Severus."

The urgency in his voice terrified Severus more then he would ever have liked to admit. He felt oddly numb to the freezing wind that encircled his body like a cold cloak and was suddenly aware that he was shivering.

"I don't know," he spoke finally after simply standing there, shivering, was too much. "Sometimes…sometimes I know that you are right."

Dumbledore looked up at him, hope shining in his blue eyes.

"But other times," Severus continued, avoiding the man's gaze. "I remember that four year-old boy-"

"-that is not _yours_," Dumbledore interrupted forcefully, desperately. "He is _not your son_, Severus! You _must _come to realize that before you loose the wonderful child that is right in front of your nose!"

"And how do you expect me to do that?" Severus asked quietly, staring at his hands again. "Even if I wanted to stop these….dreams I have no idea how." He glanced at Dumbledore. "You told me Occlumency was useless."

Albus stared at him as if checking to see if he was being sincere or not. Finally, he nodded. "You need to stop wishing that things were different, Severus. You need to stop making the worst out of your life and realize what good you have in it."

"Are you sure this isn't just another attempt to push me closer to the boy?" Severus said with a slight sneer.

The look on the headmaster's face told the Potions Master that he was not in the least bit amused.

"Do you even care about him?" Albus asked in a quiet, but heated voice.

Severus narrowed his eyes and tore them from the blue gaze to stare out at the Forbidden Forest.

"You don't even know of your feelings for him do you?"

"I think I know what my emotions are on the boy!" Severus snapped, his eyes flashing.

"But you are out here," Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Yes, I am well aware of that."

"You are out here because you are worried about Darian."

Severus let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine!" he barked finally, turning to face the headmaster. "You win! I'm out here because I'm….worried." The last word was finished in a sheepish tone. He turned his back on the smiling old wizard.

"Now that wasn't too hard was it?"

'_Yes,'_ Severus thought mentally, hating the older wizard with a passion at that very moment.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

'_Why am I so tired?'_ Darian asked himself as he trotted through the forest, following after Padfoot's bushy tail. His tongue was drooping out of the side of his mouth as he ran, something that he'd never been tired enough for. Behind him Moony was lugging along, the other werewolf's loud pants matching his own.

Darian came to a stop next to a small river that ran into the lake. He lapped up the water noisily, far too thirsty to be embarrassed when Padfoot looked at him oddly. Once the water had hydrated his parched tongue enough for him to drink at a much slower, quieter pace, Moony came to a skidding stop beside him and also began lapping up the water.

He backed away from his fellow werewolf, settling instead next to Padfoot, who was lying in the grass lazily. He met his godfather's eyes, confused by the concern in them.

Padfoot gave a loud bark to Moony, as if to hurry him up. Darian didn't blame him. He and Moony had had to stop for water three times tonight, when they usually only stopped once. Moony took one last swallow of water before swinging his head up, causing water from his muzzle to shower down on Padfoot and Darian, before promptly leaping on Darian.

Padfoot snorted disgustedly and shook himself, effectively drying off as best he could. He made a mental note to take a shower after the full moon was over. He watched the two werewolves wrestle; somehow feeling certain that it was merely playful banter. Neither wolf was strong enough to cause any real damage tonight. He was concerned about the two.

They were far more subdued then what was normal and had barely fought since the transformation. Dumbledore had told him to keep a close eye on the two, making certain that they wouldn't wander off too far knowing that they might not be strong enough to get back.

He was torn out of his musings when Darian gave a particularly loud howl; Moony had clamped his long jaws shut on his tail. Padfoot sighed through his nose, and stood up; easily prying Moony's jaws open with a simple foot-to-the-face.

Moony went tumbling away and landed next to the river, not getting up. Darian settled down, giving out a small whimper as he curled into a tight ball, tail in between two paws as he licked it.

'_Time to get these two back,'_ Padfoot thought solemnly, watching as Darian's eyes closed and the werewolf relaxed. He gave a loud bark of notice and felt his concern spike when neither wolf moved. Not even their ears perked up.

Padfoot hurried over to Moony, nipping his tail lightly, but the wolf continued to remain motionless. He gripped his leg in his teeth instead, and quickly threw him into the river, hoping he wouldn't drown.

When Moony shot awake in an instant, Padfoot drug Darian over to the river as well, and hurled him into the icy water. He felt a brief flicker of concern on whether or not the two would get hypothermia, and an angry visage of Poppy popped into his mind. Darian climbed out of the water, whimpering, and shaking visibly.

Padfoot looked at the two, wondering if they'd be able to make it back or if he should just run for help. It was a little ways back to the castle. Darian drew close to Moony for warmth and the two lay together, shivering.

'_Maybe that wasn't the best idea,'_ Padfoot thought guiltily. He barked again, telling the two that it was time to go. Moony and Darian looked up at him miserably, but slowly got to their feet and followed the large dog.

Padfoot jogged at a slow pace, winding his way through the woods. A weak noise caused him to turn around to see that Moony and Darian were trailing behind together, obviously not up to running.

'_At this pace we'll be lucky to be back by sunrise,'_ Padfoot thought, mentally berating himself for taking them out so far. He had no idea they'd be this weak.

With a soft 'thump' Darian fell to the ground, curling into himself and shivering though he made no noise to indicate the misery he was in. Moony paced around him, as if measuring the werewolf to see if he could carry him.

Padfoot absently wondered when Moony had gotten so protective over Darian. He glanced back through the trees, where his nose told him Hogwarts was before turning back to his companions, who were now both lying on the ground.

Padfoot ran over to them, watching the slow rise and fall of Darian's chest with a feeling of trepidation. Moony's breathing was much faster. Darian was getting hypothermia.

He needed to get help.

A/N- There! I'm satisfied thought the title sucked. Please R&R! Your comments really do make a difference.


	24. Chapter twenty four Love of a Child

Chapter twenty four- For the Love of a Child

Severus barely had any knowledge of the time when he opened his eyes, feeling cranky and hot. It was little to wonder about, however, when he realized where he was. He was in the headmaster's office, still in his velvet robes, obviously having fallen asleep in there the night before. He felt his face heat up at the thought of what the headmaster must have thought of he, a grown man, falling asleep on the small couch like a child while waiting for the sun to rise.

Remembering that the night before had been the full moon, Severus stumbled off the comfortable couch, his hair tousled and his robes crinkled though he hardly cared. The headmaster was absent from his desk. Severus glanced out the window to see that the sun was just starting to rise. He let out a sigh of relief for some unknown reason; somehow feeling compelled to see Darian after the boy's horrid night.

"Ah, it's nice to see you up, Severus," Albus's voice sounded. Severus looked up to see that the headmaster had just entered the office. "Did you have a good rest? It is a very comfortable couch, one I usually tend fall asleep on while reading when I can't sleep."

"Is Darian in the Hospital Wing yet?" Severus asked quietly, as if not wanting to be heard at all.

The old man nodded. "Yes, that is where I just came from." A frown of worry appeared on his face. "It seems that Darian has narrowly avoided a rather nasty case of hypothermia."

Severus's eyes widened. Hypothermia? The headmaster acted as if he were talking about the common cold.

"Don't worry, Severus. I'm sure Poppy will have him fixed right up," Albus said, ever the optimist.

"And how is she expected to do that?" Severus asked frostily. "Give him Pepper-Up potion?"

"Well that is really all she can do, my boy. That and some of the old fashion medicine."

"And what is that?" Severus asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Why, chicken soup of course my dear boy!" Albus said with a chuckle.

Severus stared at the man, wondering how on the earth he could be so cheerful when Darian was as ill as he was. He stood up, brushing past the headmaster.

"Do remember to ask him about Christmas, Severus," the headmaster called after him.

Severus entered the Hospital Wing to see that Darian was, indeed, shakily spooning himself chicken broth from a steaming bowl he held in his lap.

"How are they, Poppy? Any change?" Severus jumped and turned to see that the headmaster had followed him.

Poppy was currently kneeling over Remus's pale form. "Not since the last five minutes ago that you were here, Albus," she replied without looking up.

"How did they get this sick?" Severus asked quietly, noticing that she was feeding Remus Pepper-Up potion. "Did the full moon affect their immunity system as well?"

"Now, Severus, it really isn't as bad as you think," Dumbledore said serenely. "Poppy will have them fixed up in a few days time."

Severus ignored him.

Poppy straightened, up, looking furious. "Well, you have Mr. Black to thank for all of this!"

There was silence for a pain-staking moment, and then Severus slowly turned his eyes to Sirius Black, who was sitting in a chair beside Darian's bed. He felt fury coarse through him like liquid fire and loomed over the dozing man.

"What. Did. You. _Do_?" Severus hissed, emphasizing each word.

Black blinked blearily up at him, uncomprehending.

"He threw them into a freezing river," Poppy answered for him, her stiff and brittle voice the only signs of her anger.

"I thought it would wake them up," Sirius defended himself. "They were dozing and I knew I needed to get them back to the castle so I kind of….well, you know…."

"Not only did you give them hypothermia," Poppy snapped, interrupting the tongue-lashing Severus was going to give the ex-convict. "But you failed in 'waking them up' as you so name it. Albus and I had to go into the forest and carry them out because you took them too far!"

"It wasn't as if I did it on purpose!" Sirius said back, frustrated. "It was a stupid thing to do, but I didn't mean to make them worse."

"You know perfectly well that-"

"Enough of this," Dumbledore interrupted in that calm, yet powerful voice that demanded attention. "Darian and Remus are going to be all right, so let the past, be the past."

Poppy had the grace to look ashamed before turning back to Remus. She called over one shoulder, "And make sure you drink all of your soup, Mr. Snape."

Severus turned back to Darian, who was looking at him guardedly. He cleared his throat and glanced at Dumbledore before slowly making his way to his son's bedside. Darian almost seemed to shrink within himself as he approached, and Severus realized the boy was shivering.

Dumbledore smiled as he watched Severus approach Darian's bed as if approaching a sleeping bear. He noticed that Sirius was looking at them curiously and cleared his throat to get the man's attention.

"Why don't you come sit over here and keep Remus company?" he suggested pleasantly.

Sirius blinked, his eyes moving from Poppy to Dumbledore, who were both at the older werewolf's bedside before glancing back at where Snape had taken the empty chair on the other side of Darian's bed. He got the hint and moved over to the chair beside Dumbledore, smiling apologetically down at Remus while trying to listen to what Snape was saying to Darian.

Severus shifted uneasily in his chair as an uncomfortable silence descended upon the two of them. He heard out of peripheral hearing that Dumbledore had struck up a conversation with his three other companions. He realized from the distrustful look on Darian's face that he would have to be the one to break the silence.

"You should be resting," he said finally, eyeing the boy's sickly appearance, along with the bags under his eyes.

"That isn't for you to decide," Darian said coldly. "It isn't as if you're my father or anything…."

That hurt more then Severus thought it would. He tried to easily brush off the shock of his son's words as he had once done so simply only months ago, but found it difficult.

Sighing, he turned away from the boy's heated glare. "I suppose I deserved that," he muttered, hating himself for admitting the boy was right. He pinched the spot between his eyes, a motion he found he did quite often since discovering Darian.

Darian watched every move he made; tense, as if expecting to be struck.

Severus closed his eyes briefly, mentally running over the conversation he had had with Dumbledore the night before. He refocused on Darian, hating how his stomach gave an unpleasant lurch at the boy's haggard appearance; hating how he had the urge to tell the boy to eat his soup; hating how he wanted desperately to straighten the bedspread more snugly over Darian's shivering form.

'_You have this boy for a reason, not them,'_ Dumbledore's words echoed through his head with startling clarity. They were so much alike, Darian and he. Both equally as stubborn; both hating any pity thrown their way, and both pawns in the war.

It seemed strange. How could he care about a person so much when he so carelessly hurt him? The sight of Darian being ill sent shivers down Severus's spine. He'd hate to see how he'd react if he ever lost him. As if a bomb had gone off within him, Severus felt himself crumble at the thought of the boy's lifeless body.

'_It is very possible,'_ a voice said slyly. _'He has to fight the Dark Lord. Who have you ever known that has survived that?'_

It suddenly hit Severus how easily Darian could be killed in this war; how many times the boy's life had been in jeopardy through the mere five and a half years he'd known about the wizarding world.

He took in a deep, shuddering breath. Darian was still staring at him, shaking, with a look of mixed emotions: hate, anger, fear, hurt, and behind all of those negative emotions there was still a tiny spark of hope, of plead, begging to be accepting, and not to be thrown aside like the worthless trash those monsters had given him the self image of.

Could he do this? Could he admit that he was wrong? Was it worth it if it meant to help his son?

Severus swallowed heavily, and stared into the boy's amber orbs. A jolt of surprise shot through him.

"Your eyes…." he began and Darian looked down, "…they are amber."

He felt certain sadness at the loss of those green eyes that had once belonged to Lily, but Darian's new eye color still seemed to have the intoxicating affect his green ones had possessed, radiating with the same wisdom that could not possibly belong to a sixteen year-old.

"Yes," Darian answered tightly. "They finally changed."

The boy was now, in every sense, a werewolf. The curse put Darian in twice as much danger then he usually was. A Death Eater could simply lock him in a room on a full moon by himself, and watch with amusement as he ripped himself apart. It was an old method that had been used during the attempted Werewolf Purge in the early 1700's that was known to cause many gruesome deaths for the unfortunate creatures.

Severus winced. For some reason, he found that he could no longer belittle werewolves by calling them 'creatures' as he had done since his encounter with Moony in his schooldays. Now that Darian was one of them, he felt almost protective over the term 'werewolf' as he knew it was now in reference to his son.

Darian shifted under his scrutiny. "Does it bother you that I'm not human?" he asked coolly.

Silently, Severus shook his head in a negative response.

"It's not like I wanted this."

"I know that."

"I hate you for it, you know," Darian said, staring at him, though he was no longer glaring. The boy looked at his lap again, his hair falling to curtain his face. "But I can't," he whispered. "I want to, but I can't..."

Severus studied his son; stared at the sharp features, the slanted eyes, and the long, fine fingered hands that all belonged to him.

Could he give up these dreams for his son?

Severus continued to observe Darian. He watched how the boy would stare firmly at his hands, clenched in his lap when nervous, while darting a glance up at him almost shyly. He watched how Darian's hair would curtain his face when he was afraid. He watched how the boy's eyes would darken and his face would lock into a scowl when angry; how his eyes would lighten and his lips would curl into a rare smile when he was happy; how his eyes would shine when he was laughing or how his arms would stiffen and his expression would crumble when he was sad, and his eyes would widen and he would draw quickly back if he was shocked.

He could picture each of Darian's emotions in his mind clearly, knowing exactly how the boy felt by the look on his face or the way he held himself. How could he know every single one of the boy's feelings? How could he so easily read precisely how the boy was feeling, guess accurately what the boy was thinking?

Severus realized, with a start, that ever since the boy had become known as his, he had been watching Darian constantly, always, at meals, during class, around the school. It was as if the need to protect the boy had overridden his annoyance he had once harbored.

Why?

Despite the wonderful dreams he was having of a boy that he had longed to have, despite the hurtful and cruel things he had snarled to Darian, he had always watched over him, protected him if he could.

And this time, he had wanted to do it. He _wanted_ to see if Darian was eating enough at meals; he _wanted_ to make certain that the boy wasn't being hurt or befriending the wrong people. Dumbledore wasn't telling him to do this as the old man had commanded him to every other year. Dumbledore wasn't asking him if he could kindly make sure that the boy was eating enough at meals, or if he could inquire how Darian had been sleeping at night.

But why was he doing all of this?

Why did he care so much about Darian that he would gladly give all of his free time just to make sure the boy wasn't sad or hurting, that he was healthy and happy?

"I don't care that you are a werewolf," Severus said honestly.

Darian stared at him in shock and looked at his lap, telling Severus that he was nervous.

"But," he murmured quietly, tentatively. "You hate Remus because he's a werewolf."

"I _dislike_ him because of what happened years ago," Severus said softly. "Because of a prank that I thought was his fault."

"Because you met him when he was a werewolf in the Whomping Willow," Darian stated, looking at him.

"It terrified me-"

"-of werewolves?"

"No," Severus said finally. "I suppose I was more ashamed and angry then frightened when it was all over. My pride was hurt most of all."

Darian looked up at him. "Do you hate me?"

Severus met his gaze. He could never hate this boy, and he would not make the same mistake twice. Since Darian had come into the picture, Severus's whole life seemed to be revolving only around the boy; if he was happy or sad; healthy or unhealthy; if he was hurt or making progress in his training, what memories were revealed every Occlumency lesson. Severus had spent most of this year with Darian, and any other time that the boy wasn't around was spent thinking about him or doing something that would ultimately help him.

"I can't hate you," he said quietly, before rephrasing it. "I would never hate you." He left out saying 'again,' knowing that it would ruin the affect.

He couldn't hate Darian because Darian gave Severus the same feeling that Lily had always given him: he was needed; someone needed him and depended on him. Someone didn't hate him; someone cared about him even. It scared him that someone could place that much trust in him once again.

'_Love?'_

It scared him that he could care so much about Darian as he did. As if Lily was back in his life, he once again had a purpose. He had a person that was his, someone who had broken through the walls he had put around his heart. A son….

'Love…' 

But what frightened him more then anything was that he now had a weakness again. He had something that he couldn't bear to see harmed.

It would kill him in the end.

This emotion that was so wonderful, so perfect, came with a price.

Severus could hear Albus and Black arguing over something behind him. Darian was looking at him questioningly, still shivering. He looked down at the full bowl on the bedside table.

"Your soup is getting cold," he said, nodding at it. He pulled out his wand and gave it a small flick, heating it. Darian picked it up and slowly put a spoonful to his mouth, still looking at him uncomprehendingly.

"You need to get some rest after you are done with that," Severus told him and Darian's eyes narrowed though he continued to eat the soup.

"Don't counsel me," Darian said stubbornly, putting the half-empty bowl down. "I can take care of myself."

Severus looked at him. "Well obviously you can't, and until you finish your soup and go to sleep, then I will continue to do so."

Darian stared at him. "Why are you doing this?" he asked shakily. "Why do I care?"

"Because I do," Severus answered, looking his son in the eye.

The boy continued to stare at him. Finally, he nodded slowly. "And why should I listen to you?" he asked, his voice dreadfully hopeful.

"Because I'm your father," Severus said and Darian blinked at the foreign statement.

Severus allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "Now eat your soup, before it gets cold again."

Darian looked at his lap for a moment before turning back to him and Severus thought he saw a spark of something in his eyes.

"Yes, sir," Darian murmured reverentially, picking up the spoon again.

"I told you it would work out within a day," Dumbledore said knowingly, to Sirius and Remus. "You were close," he said to Remus, who had predicted only a few hours. "But you, on the other hand…." He trailed off to Sirius, who had predicted a week or more. "You really need to have more faith in your godson, Mr. Black." Sirius winced.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, beaming. "Now, its time to pay up. I believe that will be three boxes of Lemon Drops from each of you? Come on, now..."

Sirius grumbled something rather rude before reaching in his robe to pull out three yellow boxes, thrusting them in the headmaster's hands.

"I'll give you an extended time limit due to your illness, Remus."

Remus smiled appreciatively.

A/N- Okay, I got this one out really early so please R&R!


	25. Chapter twenty five What Matters Most

Thanks once again to all of my reviewers! You really make writing this worth while!

And thanks, of course, to my faithful beta reader, Badbugz! I'm really happy right now with the direction this story is going, and for those who are awaiting the sequel to 'The Secret', dont despire I AM working on it!

Chapter twenty five- What Matters Most

"How was the full moon?" Hermione asked nervously the next day at his bedside.

Darian shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Painful, tiring, and cold."

Hermione laughed. "I heard you and Remus almost got a case of hypothermia," she questioned, concerned. "What happened?"

"Sirius was an idiot and he threw us in a river."

"Why?"

"We wondered off too far and Remus and I were falling asleep so he thought it would wake us up," Darian explained in an annoyed tone. He had spent the whole day yesterday and most of the night with endless tissues and hacking coughs. His throat was quite sore now.

His father (Darian felt a tentative warmth at the thought of the man) had stayed until he had fallen asleep in the early afternoon yesterday before visiting once more that night.

It was an amazing feeling, knowing that his father actually wanted to be with him. However, there were some moments the day before when he felt that it was far too good to be true. At any moment, he feared the man would forget about him just as easily.

Severus had told him of each dream he had experienced ranging from the four year-old version of him (Darian felt a sharp pain in his heart) to the Death Eater him. He could understand why Severus had wanted the dreams so much after the first one of the little boy, though it had pained him to admit that he was sure the young boy was probably much better company then he was, a sixteen year-old who practically had a death warrant stamped to his back.

"I brought something that might cheer you up," Hermione said, smiling as she turned to dig in her bag.

"Hermione," he began. "You really shouldn't have-"

He broke off when she pulled out a stack of papers. "Homework," she announced, setting it on his lap. "Now doesn't that just cheer you up?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips and gazing at the stack with a kind of fierce pride.

Darian snorted, shaking his head. "Same old Hermione," he murmured.

"Of course," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "You are a Ravenclaw now and you have a reputation to protect."

Darian laughed and Hermione explained each assignment thoroughly before asking if he'd need any help. He declined it, knowing that it was just review until Christmas break.

"I would appreciate the company though," he said, smiling.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine, but don't expect me to be doing your work."

"I wouldn't dream of it, 'Mione."

"By the way, Ron sends his love," Hermione said, picking an invisible piece of lent off her wool skirt.

Darian smiled in amusement. "In those particular words?"

"Well…no…more like something along the lines of 'Yeah, yeah, whatever' when I tried to wake him up to see you." She smiled faintly. "It is Saturday after all."

"Has he asked?" Darian asked cautiously, suddenly serious.

"About your absences? Of course."

"And?"

"I just say you are sick again."

"And he believes it?"

"Hey, there was a time when you were that thick once too, remember?"

"Unfortunately," Darian muttered, wincing.

Hermione smiled. "But thankfully, you are finally past that stage. I daresay it will take Ron a good while more before he could reach your level of maturity."

Darian shrugged. "Well, I have been through more then the average teenager."

"Yes," Hermione leaned back, twirling a lock of brown hair around a finger. Then, grinning wickedly, she added, "However, it is sad that despite all you've been through, in some ways you aren't even close to the level of maturity that girls our age have."

Darian arched an eyebrow. "You are not serious. Lavender and Parvati, Hermione?"

She laughed. "Well….most girls."

"Oy, what about girls?" a grumpy voice said.

Ron appeared in the doorway, nursing a buttered piece of toast with his hair still disheveled.

Darian smiled faintly. "Nothing much, just comparing your level of maturity to girls in our year."

"I don't appreciate being talked about behind my back," Ron said in mock-anger. He turned to Hermione. "Why would you wake me up at this insane hour?"

"Ron, its eleven thirty," Hermione said pointedly.

"It's Saturday!" Ron snarled back. "Why couldn't you visit Darian later at say, one or two?" He threw himself into a chair on the other side of Darian's bed. "You didn't have to wake me up either," he grumbled, arms folded. "I would've visited him on my own time."

"Then why did you come?" Hermione asked, amused.

"Couldn't get back to sleep, thanks to you!" Ron snapped. "What if I didn't want to visit him so early?"

"Well, its nice to know I'm loved," Darian said serenely.

"No offence, mate, but I was going to visit-" Ron broke off, staring at Darian. "Your eyes!"

Darian paled, feeling the object of Ron's attention widen. Hermione bit her lip nervously.

"Why are your eyes amber?"

Darian reached a hand up as if to touch his eyes. He looked over at Hermione, making a quick decision.

"Ron….there's something I need to tell you," he began, not understanding why he felt nervous. Ron would certainly understand. Remus was a werewolf, after all, and Ron didn't hate him.

"You're a werewolf, aren't you?" Ron asked suddenly.

Darian and Hermione exchanged glances. "How did you-"

"Know?" Ron finished, sitting back. "Well…Remus did assign us an essay a few weeks ago and Hermione wasn't there to do it…I mean…help me with it." He blushed. "She said she was taking a walk with you. That was the night of the full moon wasn't it?"

"Yes," Darian whispered, shooting a look at Hermione, who looked a little pleased by the fact that Ron had done his homework without her help.

"What'd you make on it?" she asked excitedly, momentarily forgetting the situation.

Ron smirked victoriously. "An 'O'," he announced in a proud voice.

"Oh, Ron, that's wonderful!"

Darian was looking at Ron expectantly and the redhead shrugged. "I just did the math. At first I wasn't sure but Hermione did tell us how she found out about Remus in our third year and you fit all the descriptions so…"

Hermione was smiling at Ron proudly and Darian felt a pang of jealousy.

"How long have you known?" he asked, breaking Hermione's beam.

"Since the last full moon," Ron answered, narrowing his eyes at Darian. "Why didn't you tell me, mate? You know I would never-"

"I know," Darian murmured, looking at his hands with renewed interest. "It was just….the fewer people who know, the better."

"But you know I wouldn't have told anyone." Ron paused. "You told Hermione so why didn't you tell me?" he asked, a little hurt.

Darian swallowed. "It was a mistake for her to find out," he said honestly, looking back up at Ron. "I wasn't going to tell anyone until I had finally gotten adjusted to the whole situation."

"And have you?"

Darian smiled weakly. "It's getting better. Remus and I haven't fought as much."

There was a long silence as Darian and Ron stared at each other while Hermione glanced between the two nervously, hoping there wouldn't be a repeat of their fourth year.

Finally, Ron allowed a slow smile to spread across his face. "Good," he said. "That's good."

Hermione grinned happily.

"When's the next full moon?"

Darian shifted, feeling his spirits drop drastically. "Christmas Eve," he murmured softly.

Hermione put an arm around him. "Are you going to your father's?"

A shrug. "I don't know," he said truthfully. In the back of his mind he hoped, more then anything, his father would invite him over for the holidays. It would be interesting to spend time with a real family.

"I'm sure he'd be glad to have you," Hermione said softly, having heard from Darian about what Snape had said the night before.

Darian looked down. "I hope so."

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

_Severus awoke with a pounding head and he wondering, briefly, exactly what Potter and Black had been drinking last night that he had had the insane urge to try as well…_

_He groaned, feeling very nauseous. Merlin. If he felt this terrible from one drink, he could only imagine how Lily, who was terrible at holding her drink, was faring. He brought a hand up to his forehead, surprised to feel something wet._

_Severus blinked his eyes open to look at the gray clouds that bellowed overhead. He felt a flush of embarrassment. Had he passed out here? He had no memory of this at all. He hadn't had a damn hangover since Harry was born, and where was Lily? Surely she wouldn't just leave him. He rubbed the wet substance between his fingers, testing the texture before bringing it up to his face to see._

_It was blood._

_Instantly, Severus shot awake, ignoring the pain that erupted at the movement. His eyes darted around to see a black wall of Death Eaters that surrounded him. Panic erupted in his chest and he felt his heart thud uncontrollably, his eyes frantically searching for any sign of his wife and son._

_"Severus, my old friend, it is nice to see you awake at last," a cold voice hissed from behind him. Severus froze for a pain-staking moment before slowly turning around to meet the Dark Lord's scarlet eyes. A shiver of fear coursed through him._

_He somehow found the strength to stand and demand, with more courage that he possessed, "Where is Lily and Harry? What have you done with them!"_

_Lord Voldemort chuckled, a horrible sound that made Severus's insides turn to ice. "Ah, Severus, you do know me too well."_

_Severus swallowed, his eyes darting through the endless sea of black in an attempt to spot a certain redhead._

_"I am sure," the monster continued, "that you know exactly how I deal with my traitors, do you not?"_

_Severus froze, his brain skidding to a stop and he slowly turned to meet the red gaze._

_"Where are they?" he asked again in a trembling voice._

_"Not to worry, Severus," Voldemort said lightly. "They are alive and well…for the moment. Would you like to see them?"_

_Severus didn't move. He knew this somehow had to be a trick._

_Voldemort smirked at his silence. "Look down there, my dear Potions Master, and see just how cruel muggles can truly be!"_

_Severus blinked in confusion. Muggles? What did they have to do with it? But as his eyes traveled to where the wall of Death Eaters had parted for him to see, he felt his confusion melt into horror._

_Below the hill they were currently on, there was a muggle town and by the looks of it, the town hadn't modernized nearly as much as London had. He saw no phone lines or any electric items that could suggest otherwise. In fact, from what he could see, the men and women were wearing very old-fashioned clothing._

_Every person from the town seemed to be standing in an assembly around a bound Lily and Harry. They were both tied to a stake._

_Severus felt his heart plummet. "No," he whispered hoarsely, "they don't do that anymore!"_

_Voldemort tutted. "I was very lucky to find this village, Severus. Now you can witness exactly of what I am trying to rid the world."_

_One of the muggles was speaking something in a loud, powerful voice that Severus couldn't make out. The man lit a torch and waved it mockingly in front of Lily and Harry. The crowd jeered in approval._

_The Death Eaters were watching it with interest, as was Voldemort. Severus took that opportunity to try and break through the crowd to get to Lily and Harry, but was grabbed roughly around his waist._

_"You're not going anywhere, Severus," a drawling voice hissed in his ear. "The Dark Lord was kind enough to provide you with entertainment and you would do well to enjoy it."_

_Severus took in a shuddering breath as the crowd continued to scream like a pack of hungry wolves and he tried, unsuccessfully, to break Malfoy's hold._

_"No…" he whispered thinly as the muggle threw the torch onto the hay and wood surrounding his family. He thrashed frantically as it ignited, eating up the fuel quickly. "NO!" he screamed, desperately clawing, kicking, and biting any part of Malfoy he could get, doing anything, anything that was humanly possible to reach his wife and son. "Stop them!" he begged to the Dark Lord. "I'll do anything!"_

_"Stupefy him, Lucius," Voldemort hissed, not taking his eyes from the burning stake._

_But Lucius didn't bother to stun him as Severus dropped to the ground, clamping his hands over his ears, trying desperately to block out any sound._

_Nothing could have prevented him from hearing Lily and Harry's screams as they were burned alive. Severus felt something inside of him explode as he let out a howl of pure, undulated agony._

_His wife and son's screams echoed through his ears, shrill and pain-filled, until they died away. Their screaming gave way to the smell of burnt flesh slowly drifting to them. Severus curled into a fetal position, feeling a dam within him burst as choking sobs consumed him, hot tears pouring down his cheeks._

_"Do you hate muggles now, Severus?" Voldemort hissed mockingly in his ear._

_He dimly heard the sound of the muggles' cheers, matched with those of the Death Eaters as he slowly rocked himself back and forth._

_"Pathetic," he heard the Dark Lord hiss in disgust. "You could have been great, Severus, but you had to wed that mudblood and care for your half-breed son, didn't you?"_

_Severus was silent, lost in his agony._

_"Shame, really," Voldemort mused, circling him slowly. "I really could have used an heir..."_

_Severus felt pure rage build within him. His chest burned terribly and his vision tunneled as a red haze blocked his sight. All he knew was that he wanted to cause as much pain as possible to the monster who had taken his family from him._

_"…and I'm sure that mudblood would have been a nice fuck. She always was the vivacious one…"_

_With a roar of insane rage with no reasoning or logical understanding of what exactly he was doing, Severus leapt at the Dark Lord. He hit the monster as hard as he could and felt his fist crack under the pressure._

_Instantly, he felt someone grab him as he kicked. He screamed in a maddening fury like a wild animal as he tried to break free, to do more damage…to kill…_

_His vision cleared slightly and he saw that Voldemort was staring at him with fascination, as if studying a rare species. There was not a mark on the Dark Lord's face, though Severus had hit with all of his strength._

_It occurred to him that the world was doomed._

_The last thought that crossed his mind was oddly comforting; he would soon be with Lily and Harry. A flash of green burned his eyes and he felt himself go limp as his life flashed before his eyes…._

_&&&&&&&&&&_

Severus jerked awake, the texture of the cool wood of his desk he was resting his head on feeling as real as the force of the green curse that had engulfed his body. He sat up, swallowing and blinking sleep from his eyes. Instantly, his classroom came into focus, along with two dozen pairs of eyes staring at him curiously. Toward the back, he could see Darian looking at him in slight concern.

"Professor?" Hermione Granger asked tentatively from her place beside Darian. "You…er…fell asleep, sir."

"I am well aware of that, Miss Granger!" Severus snapped, unable to shake the paranoia he was currently feeling. He glanced around at each student as if to access a threat. Darian arched an eyebrow when he met his gaze.

Severus slowly sat up, feeling shame creep up on him. He had fallen asleep in the middle of the day! And in Darian's class no less! Not only was this highly embarrassing, but it was getting rather serious as well. He had no memory of even drifting off. The last thing he remembered was grading papers while the students finished their potions…

"What are you all staring at?" he barked. "Get back to work or you shall find yourselves in detention redoing the potion!"

That spurred the students to turn quickly back to their cauldrons and Severus sighed as the comforting sounds of bubbling potions and aimless stirring broke the awkward silence. He reached a hand up to massage his forehead before glancing at the clock. Thank Merlin, only ten minutes left of this damn class and his day was finished.

_'Thank God for Fridays,'_ Severus thought contentedly, returning to grading his first year's essays.

When the bell blessedly rang, no one was finished with their potion, not even Granger, and Severus assigned them a two foot essay on it instead. It occurred to him just how much time had been spent watching him sleep instead of brewing potions. Damn brats…

Severus sighed, stacking his graded essays neatly and placing them in a drawer.

"Professor?" a nervous voice asked.

He looked up to meet Darian's (charmed) emerald eyes, and waited for the boy to continue.

Darian shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Did…did you have another dream?" He was tense, as if waiting to be yelled at.

Severus turned his back to the boy, erasing the ingredient on the board the muggle way (though he had no idea why they even had erasers and chalk) to occupy himself.

"I did," he answered evenly, watching his son out of his peripheral vision.

Darian's expression dropped. "Oh," he replied blandly.

"I don't wish to have them," Severus said, when Darian turned to leave.

"Why not?" he asked, pausing halfway so his body was still facing the door.

"They are not all good, you know," Severus told him softly.

Darian arched an eyebrow, silently asking him to elaborate.

"Well," Severus struggled to begin. He really wasn't used to sharing something as personal as this with another. "After I had two dreams, I had one of you being a Death Eater."

Darian's eyes widened. "Me? But…but I'd never-"

"You never would, but obviously he did," Severus corrected, pretending to sort some papers on his desk.

Darian was silent.

"I had a dream of you dying in the final battle."

"Are you sure that's not the future?" Darian asked, grinning lopsidedly.

Severus pinned him with a glare that made the boy's grin fade. "Do not talk like that," he said in a deadly serious voice.

Darian stared at him in confusion, but slowly nodded.

Severus hesitated, not wanted to talk about his recent dream, which was still raw on his mind. He turned to stare into Darian's eyes for a moment.

"The dream I had today was of you and…and Lily being burned at a stake in a muggle town while I was forced to watch," he said quickly, hating his voice for breaking off at the end. He could clearly remember the feeling of helplessness that had washed over him as he had watched his son and wife struggle, screaming as the flames engulfed their body….

He was startled out of his thoughts by a gentle touch on his arm and his eyes shot up to Darian, who had tentatively laid a hand on his forearm. The boy drew back quickly and avoided his eyes, looking embarrassed.

Severus felt an unfamiliar upturn of his lips as he marveled at the feeling of someone actually caring about him, cared about how he was feeling, cared if he was hurting…

He thought back to each of the dream he had had and realized, with a start, that he didn't want these dreams. Not any of them, not even the good ones with the younger Darian. The idea that that wonderful reality could morph into someplace where Darian was also dead…

"You really don't want them, do you?" Darian whispered, sensing his thoughts.

_'Werewolf…' _Severus thought idly.

"No," he finally admitted. "I have….realized that I am happy here with what I have."

Darian smiled slightly.

"Do you know how to stop them?"

Severus recalled Dumbledore's earlier words of 'appreciating' the life he had in order for them to go away. "No, I don't."

"Not even Occlumency would help?"

He shook his head. "I don't know if they will stop."

"Nothing lasts forever," Darian reminded him.

"Some things do."

"Like what?"

Severus opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. He turned away, shoving the papers on his desk into a drawer.

"There are certain things that may not seem like they last, but they do."

"I don't think anything lasts forever," Darian said quietly.

"What about family? Or certain friendships?"

Darian smiled faintly. "Sooner or later, those family and friends are going to die."

Severus looked up at him sharply. "Do you always look at the negative side of things?"

Darian shrugged. "Can't help it. Its always been like that for me." He lifted his bag. "I always thought that was my gift: to look at anything that shines and find tarnish in it."

"Doesn't it ever get depressing?"

Darian shrugged again but didn't answer.

"I have to go to my next class, sir."

Severus nodded. "You'd best be off then."

A/N- **Next chapter**...the awaited Hermione/Darian scene! Thanks to everyone who has been so patient, but if anyone's read 'The Secret,' then they'll know I'm not that good at romance but I hope I'm at least decent.

R&R


	26. Chapter twenty six A Different Love

Sorry this chap took so long. Thanks to reviewers and especially to my beta, Badbugz.

Chapter twenty six- A Different Love Entirely

"Darian, you're late!" Hermione hissed as he took a seat beside her in Transfiguration.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Mr. Snape. Do try and be on time," McGonagall said, looking at him sternly.

"Yes, Professor," Darian murmured respectfully, taking out parchment and a quill to copy the notes she was writing on the chalkboard.

"What did Professor Snape want to talk to you about?" Hermione whispered, and McGonagall shot them an irritated look.

"Mr. Snape, Miss Granger, if you would be so kind as to pay attention! I expect better from the both of you!" the Transfiguration Professor snapped, her pale eyes flashing.

Darian shrugged, ignoring McGonagall's scolding when she turned back to the board.

"We just….talked," he admitted sheepishly, feeling that he shouldn't abuse the trust his father had placed in him by telling her of his dreams.

"And?" Hermione pressed, speaking to her parchment.

"And what?" Darian bit out, though he wasn't irritated. "It went okay."

Hermione glanced briefly at him, though Darian got full blast of her gaze. "See!" she whispered, her lips barely moving. "I told you it would work out. Some things just take time…."

"Ten points each from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw!" Professor McGonagall was suddenly in front of them. "Honestly, Mr. Snape! You are getting just about as bad as your father was with Miss Evans when he was your age! And I had such high hopes that he hadn't passed that trait on to you!"

Darian felt his heart thump at the information about his parents and he looked at McGonagall with renewed interest. He opened his mouth, wanting desperately to beg the woman for more information on his parents, on what they were like in their schooldays. But every student was watching the trio curiously, and Darian knew he'd blow his cover if he acted interested in what was assumed to be a brief encounter between his father and Lily Evans.

Beside him, Hermione blushed brightly and the implication of McGonagall's words hit Darian, making him flush as well. He was suddenly aware of how close he and Hermione had been sitting though he made no attempt to move away.

The students giggled loudly while Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnagan looked ill at the thought of anyone with the son of Snape.

Professor McGonagall bristled. "Enough of this! Is this a classroom or a gossip-hall?"

And the rest of the period was spent studiously working on an essay on the importance of Transfiguration while what they were supposed to do in class that day was assigned for homework.

Darian glanced over at Hermione, whose cheeks were still slightly pink. He swallowed heavily and focused on the words in front of them, suddenly unable to make sense of them.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"She said what?" Ron exclaimed as they walked the grounds a few hours later.

Darian nodded fervently. "Yeah, she was talking about my mom and dad." It felt strange to refer to Snape as his Dad instead of Father. "They obviously disrupted the class quite often."

"Like you and Hermione do?" Ron asked slyly, grinning.

Darian blushed. "You know it's not like that!"

"Oh, sure, mate. I know," Ron said absently, staring out at the lake before shaking his head. "I just had to skip out on the class where we don't do any work didn't I?"

Darian shrugged. "We had to do an essay the entire class, Ron." He closed his eyes briefly. "Not to mention how humiliating it was…"

"Oh come off it, Darian! Everyone knows about you and Hermione," Ron said in an exasperated voice. "I just don't see why you guys had to hide it from me as well. You know I would never-"

"Hold on!" Darian stopped, holding his hands up. "What are you talking about?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "I get it, Darian. I know you and Hermione didn't want to hurt me or anything but it really doesn't bother me. I got over her a while ago."

Darian stared at Ron in confusion. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Ron snorted and continued walking.

"No, really Ron, I don't," Darian said weakly, stepping in front of him and looking at his friend pleadingly. "Please tell me."

Ron stopped walking and stared at Darian incredulously. "What? You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

Ron shook his head. "I mean….you and Hermione…you guys aren't….?" he trailed off uncertainly.

Darian blinked, and blushed. "Wha-? No! Hermione and I aren't…aren't…involved! Why would you say that?"

The redhead shrugged. "Well, that's odd. Everyone in the school thinks you two are," he said, kicking a pebble.

"Why?"

Ron cocked his head to the side. "I dunno. I guess its because you two are always so wrapped up in each other."

Darian's eyes widened. "Wrapped up in each other?"

"You know, always spending time alone together. Going off in your own world talking about things that no one can really interrupt," Ron said. "Admit it, mate. You two have spent more time alone together then the three of us have."

"That…that's not…" But as Darian thought about it, he realized that Ron was right. He and Hermione had always gone off to talk about things that they felt Ron wouldn't understand as much as the other could. He hadn't even really told Ron about he being a werewolf. Sure he had feelings for Hermione that were more then just friendship, but….was he really that obvious?

"So you guys weren't dating? You haven't been sneaking out at nights to snog?"

"What? Is that what everyone has been saying?"

Ron smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, mate. You do have to admit that it looked obvious though."

Darian sighed. "Ron, you do remember my…er…condition don't you?"

"Yeah, but you guys went out more then just on the full moon."

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then you see where we're coming from."

"We?" Darian frowned. "Whose we?"

"Luna and me."

Darian's jaw dropped. "You've been hanging around with Luna?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, mate. What else did you think I was doing all those times you and Hermione went off somewhere? After the first few times I went with you that I was more or less ignored, I figured I'd leave the two of you alone." He shrugged. "She's not that bad, actually."

Darian could tell from Ron's expression that Luna was more then just 'not that bad' but wisely said nothing. Ron did, after all, have the upper hand with Hermione and him, and it was always smart to know when to back down.

&&&&&&

"Mr. Snape," Snape's voice called over the bell ringing. "Stay after."

Darian glanced at Hermione.

"I'll wait for you," she assured and he smiled appreciatively.

Snape took his time to straighten the pile of essays Darian's class had recently turned in. Darian sat heavily back down in his seat, exhausted, having not gotten much sleep the night before. He rubbed his eyes, trying to prevent a yawn.

"Tired?" Snape asked, looking hesitantly uncertain.

Darian shrugged. "Didn't sleep very well," he admitted.

"Do you have nightmares often?" Snape asked, his voice softer then usual.

"About two or three times a week," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"That can't be healthy," Severus returned, taking in Darian's pale face. "Do you require a Dreamless-Sleep Potion?"

Darian never would have admitted how much it meant to him for Snape -his father- to actually be concerned, to actually care at long last about him. It was as if he'd finally accomplished something that he'd desperately been working toward. He smiled but shook his head.

"No thanks, I've read about how addictive they can be and I don't want to get used to sleeping with an aid."

Severus frowned. "Alright," he said reluctantly. "But if you are unable to sleep, the offer still stands."

Darian nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly.

They fell into awkward silence for a moment.

Darian shifted uncomfortably. "You didn't ask me to stay just for that did you?" he asked cautiously.

"No," Severus said, moving to erase the blackboard. "This month is almost over as you know," he said without turning around.

Darian merely nodded, watching his father's movements.

"I'm sure Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley are going home for the holidays and Albus believes that you shouldn't be left alone…." Severus trailed off, his voice sounding a bit timid.

"Yeah, well, usually I go to Ron's," Darian told him.

Snape's body tensed. He was silent. The tension was palpable and Darian frowned as he sensed a bit of hurt radiating from the man in front of him.

Snape cleared his throat. "Well," he began, his voice vague. "Lunch will be over soon, you had better hurry."

"But…didn't you want to talk to me about something?" Darian asked in bemusement.

Snape smiled -or something that was the closest Darian had ever seen to a smile from him- grimly.

"Miss Granger is waiting for you."

Darian blinked and stood up, wondering what had been said. He slung the strap of his bag over a shoulder and headed to the door. He paused, however, replaying the conversation that had just occurred. Realization dawned on him as he understood what Snape was going to ask him.

A blush colored his cheeks and he mentally slapped himself, turning around.

Snape was seating himself, pulling out a quill to begin grading, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Professor?" Darian asked, striding back up to his father's desk. "Did…" he hesitated. "Did you want to ask me about Christmas Break?"

Snape looked up from Hermione's essay, which, Darian noted, was already littered with angry red ink.

"I did," Severus looked at him sternly. "Of course, you would probably rather go with your-"

"I'd love to go with you," Darian blurted out, then flushed. "I mean…if it's okay with you."

Snape stared at him in surprise before nodding curtly. "Your presence would not be unwelcome," he said evenly.

Darian nodded, unable to keep the slight smile from forming on his lips.

"Well, Hermione's waiting for me," he said after a moment. "I'd better go."

Darian started for the door again. He turned back.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. His father's eyebrows rose and Darian hurried out before he could embarrass himself farther.

Hermione was waiting for him by the door, deeply immersed in a conversation with the portrait of, to Darian's immense surprise, Salazar Slytherin.

"Hey," she greeted. "Took you long enough."

Darian observed the portrait. Slytherin looked, surprisingly, like himself. He had straight black hair that fell past his shoulders, bright green eyes, and pale skin. The man nodded to him, as if in a sort of unnamable respect, and Darian blinked before returning the nod.

Hermione bid farewell to the portrait and tugged Darian down the hall. "Come on, lunch is almost over."

"We've got plenty of time," Darian answered. "Charms doesn't start for another hour."

Hermione sighed, but didn't relinquish her hold on him.

They met Ron at lunch. The redhead was, surprisingly, sitting at the Ravenclaw table with Luna Lovegood, who seemed to be in the midst of explaining the dangers of a Japanese Thunder Mountain Troll.

"How big do they get again?" Ron was asking as Darian seated himself beside his friend, Hermione sliding into the seat next to him.

"Not that tall," Luna answered in her usual, dreamy voice. "They only get to be about six or seven feet. It's their fangs you have to watch out for."

"Fangs?" Ron questioned. "Trolls have fangs?"

"Only the ones from Japan," Luna clarified, avidly. "And only the Thunder Mountains' fangs are poisonous enough to kill even the most powerful wizard with less then three grams of their venom."

Ron paled. "But, they are native to Japan, right? They'd never come Great Britain?"

Luna leaned over the table (consequently placing her elbow into a stick of butter), her eyes wild. "That's just it! There have been recent sightings of them only a few miles from London!"

Hermione snorted loudly from beside Darian, and he tuned Luna out.

"How ridiculous," she muttered, taking a swallow of pumpkin juice, but said nothing more on the subject of Luna.

"Ron seems a bit preoccupied," Darian murmured, noticing how his friend had barely noticed Hermione and his arrival. "Let's go to the library."

Hermione didn't know why he wanted to go to the library, but she didn't argue as the library happened to be her favorite place to be and she felt elated to know that her best friend liked it almost as much as she did.

"So what did your father want to talk to you about?" Hermione asked as they walked through sunbathed corridors. Though it was freezing outside, the sun was out and not a cloud could be seen in the sky.

"I'm going to stay with him for Christmas."

"Oh Darian, that's wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed, beaming at him. "Are you excited?"

Darian shrugged. In all honesty, he didn't know what he was. Excited wasn't quite the word, more like….wanted, comfortable with the fact that his father tolerated him enough to keep him around for the holidays. He was most certainly nervous because despite how much their relationship had improved, it was still very tense when he was around the man. He only hoped that it would go away with time. When asking Hermione about it, she assured him it would.

"What did I tell you, hmm? What did I tell you?" Hermione asked proudly.

Darian rolled his eyes. "Go ahead, bask in the glory of being right for once, Hermione Granger."

Hermione's broad smile disappeared in an instant. "For once? Excuse me, but what do you mean 'for once'? There are seldom times that I am wrong!"

Darian smirked. "And you, Hermione, are getting a big head."

Hermione blushed but scowled. "I suppose I get it from you, oh mighty Boy-Who-Lived. Who ever said Ron was the only one who was jealous of your limelight?"

"And here I thought you were too mature for such jealousy."

"I wasn't jealous of you, just the attention you got. Why else would I be jealous of you? Its not like you have any special talents or anything," Hermione said in a mocking tone, smirking back at him.

Darian stopped walking, causing her to turn around and stop as well.

"Wha-"

An instant later she was shoved solidly, yet gently up against a wall.

"You forget exactly what I am, Miss Granger," Darian said in a silky voice, bringing his lips to her ear. "I just do not wish to expose them as willingly as you do." He felt her shiver.

"Yes, well, you have an excuse. As you have enemies, it is normal for you to have special 'talents' while all of us other people have to actually work for our talents instead of relying solely on destiny," Hermione said, a grin on her face and her eyes glittering mischievously. "I, unlike you, do not have these enemies or destiny to hand me my talents on a platter."

"And let's hope it stays that way," Darian said quietly, looking her in the eye.

Their playful demeanor shattered instantly. Hermione looked at him in concern.

"Darian-"

But Darian cut her off by putting a finger to her lips. She quieted immediately and strained her ears for what he was listening for, only to realize that he wasn't listening for anything, and was, instead, gazing at her, his green eyes shattering her defenses, looking into her soul, consuming her very being….

Darian stared at her. The glow of the sunset made a halo over her hair. She was so lovely. She was staring back at him now, curious in that simple Hermione-ish way that she always was, as if just hearing of a new spell that she desperately wanted to try. He felt his heart speed up as he realized exactly how close they were standing together.

"Darian?" she whispered again, as if speaking any louder would disrupt the moment.

Darian reached out a hand and ghosted a touch over her cheek as he drew closer to her so he could see the tiny specks of green that were in her brown orbs. Closer so he could feel the heat of her body. Closer till he could feel her warm, moist breath against his face.

He paused, his lips mere centimeters away from hers, waiting, breathless. Hermione's eyes fluttered shut as her lips met his in a soft, tentative kiss.

Darian felt heat and something else spread through his entire body and all he could think about was his lips on hers, his hands on her waist, her hair tickling his neck.

Now he had done the thing he'd sworn he'd never do.

At that moment he placed Hermione in more danger then anyone else, besides him.

A fire inside of him blazed as he ran his fingers through her soft curls, plaguing him with sensations that he had never imagined he would have the chance of feeling. It was a vast depth of needing, of belonging, of completion and he never wanted it to end. His strongest urge was to shield, to protect the person who made him feel so complete, so…right that he currently held in his arms.

The kiss intensified, growing more heated, more needy, and Darian wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body against his in a desperate attempt to be impossibly closer to her.

"Mr. Snape! Miss Granger!" a familiar voice that demanded authority cut through the comfortable atmosphere.

Hermione and Darian broke apart instantly at the commanding voice, Darian recognizing the scent with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Oh God, no….

Darian felt blood rush to his face as his father glared at the two of them. Beside him, Hermione turned red as well.

Snape folded his arms imposingly. "Thirty points from each Gryffindor and Ravenclaw! What did you two think you were doing?"

Hermione glanced at Darian.

"Well?"

"Studying, sir," Darian blurted out before he could stop himself.

Snape arched one black eyebrow. "Studying?" he repeated sarcastically. "I really thought you could do better then that, Darian. Studying what, if I might ask so I could inform that professor of just how much time and effort you put into that subject?" he asked curtly, fuming at how easily teenagers were driven by hormones.

"Anatomy, sir," Hermione answered unflinchingly, without missing a beat.

Severus stared at her. He blinked, then narrowed his eyes at the two.

"We do not study that subject here, Miss Granger, surely you should know that, and independent study is highly frowned upon. Now, get to class!" he barked, surprising both teenagers.

Hermione and Darian glanced at each other before they quickly hurried to Charms.

a/n tell me what you thought


	27. Chapter 27 Werewolf's Instinct

Thanks once again to all of my reviewers and my beta, Badbugz.

Chapter twenty seven- A Werewolf's Instinct Part One

"Where'd you two go?" Ron asked as Hermione and Darian entered Charms, both still very red. "I was going to ask you if our essay on the Repelling Charm was due today."

"Library," Hermione answered in a small voice. Darian sat beside her, staring determinedly at the blackboard as they waited for Flitwick to arrive.

"Library? For what?" Ron asked.

"Just reading," Hermione said, managing to keep her voice normal. "And yes, the essay was due today!"

"You're not serious!" Ron groaned. "I thought it wasn't due for another week!" he whined before noticing their red faces.

"And…and are you two blushing?"

Hermione flushed deeper.

Ron's eyes widened and comprehension dawned on his freckled face. A wide smile appeared. "Way to go, mate!" he said cheerfully at Darian, reaching across Hermione to thump him on the back. "I knew you had it in you!"

Hermione put her face in her hands.

Darian narrowed his eyes, feeling anger and a fierce protectiveness well up in him at Ron for making Hermione feel so uncomfortable.

"So, how was it?" Ron prodded eagerly.

Darian growled, his vision turning hazy as Hermione let out a pained moan of embarrassment….

"None of your damn business!" he roared, standing up in front of her almost protectively; the charm on his eyes broke to reveal furious amber eyes.

Ron nearly fell out of his chair; the chattering students fell silent.

Hermione looked up from her hands at Darian in shock. "Darian…?" she asked cautiously, putting a hand on his arm.

Darian blinked and glanced from her to Ron's pale face and back again.

"I was just joking, mate," Ron said shakily. "I didn't mean…"

Darian swallowed, feeling his breathing quicken. He glanced apologetically at Ron and picked up his books, gently detaching himself from Hermione's hold.

"I-I have to go," he said quickly, shoving the books into his bag.

"Darian!" He heard Hermione call. He stopped for a moment and shook his head at her pleadingly, before hurrying out of the classroom, nearly knocking over poor tiny Professor Flitwick in the process.

"Sorry," he muttered quickly, not bothering to help pick up the papers the tiny man had dropped.

Darian walked down the empty corridor at a fast pace. What had happened in there? Why had he been so defensive? He knew Ron. Ron would never seriously say anything to hurt Hermione. Why did he get so angry?

He closed his eyes, stopping to lean on a wall and take a few calming breaths.

Darian glanced back at where he had just come from. He hoped he hadn't hurt Hermione's feelings…

Clenching his eyes shut again, he took a few more gulps of air. Why did he suddenly care so much? What was happening to him?

He rubbed his forehead tiredly and turned to where he knew the Defense classroom would be. He had to talk to Remus about this. These strange emotions he was feeling weren't normal. They were too…..protective, almost dangerously so, to be labeled as what Petunia would say in a sickeningly sweet voice "Puppy Love."

Darian shuddered at the thought of what he felt for Hermione being described in Petunia's disgusting coo. No, this was far more serious then something as repulsively fake as that.

As he reached the classroom, he hesitated before knocking quietly on Remus's door.

"Come in," Remus called.

Darian walked in to see, to his immense surprise, that his father was talking rather heatedly to Remus.

"Darian?" Remus asked, his eyes flashing in concern. The large black dog at the foot of his desk perked his ears up and barked happily.

Darian couldn't restrain a smile. "Hey, Snuffles."

Severus turned around at the mention of Sirius. "Shouldn't you be in class?" he asked, hoping his voice wasn't as harsh as it sounded to him.

Darian's eyes traveled between to two men.

"Your eyes!" his father said suddenly, striding over to him. "Why did you break the charm? Did anyone see?"

Darian stiffened as Snape grabbed his forearm but the man only waved his wand with a few chosen words and Darian felt a distinct itchy tingling. As it faded, Darian saw his world in a haze of green for a moment before it faded into normal vision.

"I don't think so…" Darian murmured, thinking about it. Merlin, he hoped not.

Severus didn't seem satisfied with his answer but nodded anyway. "Now, why aren't you in class and why did the charm on your eyes break?"

Darian bit his lip and looked at Remus. "Can…can I sit down please?"

Remus looked startled. "Of course, Darian. You don't need to ask."

Darian sank gratefully into the chair, shivering slightly as he remembered why he was there in the first place. Snuffles licked his finger consolingly and he absently scratched the dog behind his ears.

Severus sat in the chair he had previously been occupying, eyeing Darian and obviously sensing that something was wrong.

"Remus," Darian began cautiously. "I have a question."

Remus smiled gently, acknowledging the unspoken subject of the question with a nod. "Hopefully I have an answer."

Darian took in a breath, feeling embarrassed for talking about this to his teacher and father.

"Well," he started uncertainly. "I've been feeling something that's not normal for normal people to feel."

Remus looked bemused. "I'm sorry Darian, but you'll have to be more specific then that."

Severus, however, pinned Darian with a look. "Does this have anything to do with the predicament I had the unfortunate luck to find you and Miss Granger in?"

Darian blushed deeply. "I knew this was a bad idea," he groaned, putting his face in his hands. Snuffles growled at Snape.

"Severus," Remus scolded quietly. "One part about being a parent is compassion, you know."

"How dare you lecture me!" Snape spat furiously, his eyes flashing.

"I'm just saying that-"

"Lately I've been protective of Hermione," Darian interrupted in a loud voice, ceasing the rise of bickering he knew was to come.

Remus turned to him. "Protective?"

Darian nodded. Snape was silent.

"How so?"

Darian sighed. "Violently," he murmured and proceeded to tell them about what had happened in Charms class.

"I don't know what I was thinking," he admitted, feeling ashamed. "I just got so angry, and I couldn't control myself. All I kept thinking about was how uncomfortable she was and how I needed to make her feel all right again somehow." Darian clenched his jaw, remembering the thought that had crossed his mind when he had yelled at Ron. "So I tried to scare off the threat."

"Threat?" Severus asked, frowning. "Weasley?"

Darian closed his eyes.

Remus was quiet, obviously thinking. "Werewolves," he began. "Can become extremely protective over their mates."

Darian blushed deeper than he had when Snape had caught Hermione and him in the hall earlier that day. "M-mate?" he said, his voice sounding very small. "I don't….I mean…"

"Mate?" Severus interrupted, narrowing his eyes at his son.

Snuffles's ears perked straight up. He gave Darian a look that might have been described as a reprimand.

"We…we haven't," Darian stuttered. "We never…we're not stupid…. Hermione and I wouldn't do…that."

Snape arched an eyebrow, folding his arms suspiciously.

"The term 'mate' does not come from the action, Severus," Remus said seriously, though he looked amused. "It is merely a term of endearment for the werewolf race."

Severus relaxed slightly.

"What do I do?" Darian asked quietly, not looking at either of them.

"There really isn't anything that can or needs to be done, Darian," Remus said. "It is a natural way of life for werewolves."

"Oh yea?" Darian challenged, looking up to meet his fellow wolf. "Did you ever go through this with some girl?"

"I hardly think Hermione is just 'some girl' to you, Darian," Remus said kindly. "And yes, I did go through this."

"How many times?"

"Twice," Remus replied. "When I was twenty four and thirty. A werewolf does not give out the title 'mate' lightly."

"Twenty four!" Snape said. "He is only sixteen!"

"Yes, but he has obviously found someone worthy of that title, Severus. It does not matter of the age, only the person," Remus retorted, sounding a little irritated. "He is lucky to have found someone at such a young age."

Severus glared hatefully at the man. "I do not approve of this," he stated firmly.

Darian's eyes narrowed. Snuffles whined curiously.

"There's not much to be done about it, besides," Remus chuckled, "I find it hard to believe that you are so unwilling to accept this when you and Lily were completely smitten for each other at Darian's age."

Severus wisely chose not to say anything more, and Darian felt himself relax.

"There's nothing I can do then?" Darian asked, feeling dazed.

"I already told you, Darian, you don't have to do anything. It is natural," Remus said in a calm, yet soothing voice. Snuffles barked in agreement.

"But what if I hurt someone?" Darian blurted out. "I felt like I would attack Ron if he said anything else! What will I do if it's someone I don't really like anyway? What if its Pansy Parkinson or Zacharias Smith next time?"

"It doesn't matter where the person stands emotionally to you, Darian, only how much that person poses a threat to your mate."

Darian flushed at the word again. "You know what I mean."

"I do," Remus said. "But, as I said before, there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it. It has happened, and that's all there is to it."

"Would Wolfsbane help?" Severus asked suddenly.

"No," Remus negated. "I've tried many times, but it is useless."

Darian sank into his chair numbly. Yet another way he could endanger the people around him. "I will hurt someone," he stated. "If I got so defensive over Ron when he was joking, I will surely hurt someone who really insults her."

"Then perhaps it is time to let everyone know that you are a werewolf," Remus said quietly. Darian blinked as he heard a door open but he was too preoccupied by his father's reaction to turn and look.

Severus nearly exploded. "Are you insane!" he roared, standing. "Do you realize what advantage that will give the Dark Lord!"

"Severus…"

"No! I will not allow it! It is only a weakness for them to find out about him!"

Darian flinched.

Severus let out a loud breath and sat down. "We can't," he began, glancing over at Darian. "Let anyone know that he is a werewolf. It will ruin his entire life. Not only that but it will be a weakness because they will know what they can use against him as a werewolf."

"That is true," Remus murmured. "Perhaps we should speak to Albus about this."

"Not to worry, Remus, I am already here," Dumbledore said as he shut the door quietly behind him.

Severus was the only one who looked startled at his sudden presence.

"Severus is right, of course," Dumbledore said, summoning himself a chair to sit in. "It is far too early to let them know about Darian's condition. If any of Tom's Death Eaters were to have an extensive knowledge on werewolves, which I'm sure there would be at least one, then they would recognize Miss Granger as his mate. I daresay they would use her to their advantage."

Darian's right fist clenched painfully. He bit his tongue to suppress the anger, but Snuffles sensed this and licked his fingers again.

"You know how dangerous I am going to be," Darian said quietly, petting Snuffles's head.

"It isn't anything that we haven't had before," Dumbledore said cheerfully.

Darian glanced at Remus. "But you said that your first mate was-"

"Remus hasn't been the only werewolf to come through this school, Darian," Dumbledore said gently. "I remember a rather short-tempered girl that came through our school. In her seventh year she discovered her mate. However, we were able to deal with it."

"How?" Darian asked softly. "A Potion?"

"Unfortunately, there is nothing to numb the effect. It is mostly based on mental strength," Dumbledore said.

Severus frowned. "Mental strength? Darian can't control who he gets angry at, Headmaster or do I need to inform you of what had occurred with Mr. Weasley?"

"No need, Severus, Filius already told me," Dumbledore said quietly.

"Does he know about me?" Darian asked quietly.

Dumbledore nodded. "He has for a few months now. He recognized how protective you were about Miss Granger and saw fit to inform me."

"Charms is over?" Darian asked.

"Yes. It has been for about twenty minutes now. I have informed Professor Sprout that you might be absent from her class."

Severus cursed and stood. "I have a class."

"Wait-" Darian began and stopped himself. He didn't want his father to leave, not now when everything was so confusing and he was so helpless with to what to do with this situation.

Severus looked at Darian and nodded, sitting back down, to Darian's great shock.

Dumbledore and Remus exchanged smiles. Snuffles looked as if he were having a hard time tolerating this.

"All I can tell you to do is to try to control your temper," Dumbledore said truthfully.

Darian gapped at him. "Haven't you been listening? I can't-"

"Miss Granger may be able to help you calm down a bit once you explain the situation to her," Dumbledore said thoughtfully.

"You mean…tell her?" Darian asked hesitantly.

"Of course."

Remus nodded. "You are going to have to tell her eventually, Darian. It is better than not telling Hermione and she finding out later on her own."

Darian lowered his head. "Yeah, I guess."

"Well!" Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "Now that that's finished, I shall be returning to my office. I am trying to think of a new password, you know."

Darian looked over at his father, wondering how Remus and Dumbledore could be so calm about this whole thing.

"I was thinking of Chocolate Frog? What do you think, Darian?" Dumbledore asked serenely.

Darian sighed. "You've used that password a hundred times, Professor."

Dumbledore looked startled. "Have I?" He chuckled. "My memory is not what it used to be, my boy! Perhaps you could give me a sweet you are particularly fond of?"

"Turkish Delight," Darian said absently, staring at his hands.

"I don't believe I've heard of it. I most certainly will have to try it once I get around to Muggle London again…."

Dumbledore stood and put a hand on Darian's shoulder. "Relax, my boy, it will be alright." He left.

Darian hesitated, staring at his lap.

"He is right, Darian," Remus said softly. "It will be okay. You will soon learn to love what you feel for her."

"I don't hate it," Darian said. "It just scares me."

Remus smiled. "Well, that will change."

Darian nodded and stood, as did his father.

"I need to see what damage has been done to my lab," Severus murmured, looking horrified. 'What on earth was I thinking, leaving a bunch of fourth years in my lab unattended….'

Darian forced a pained smile to Remus. "See you tomorrow then." He ruffles Snuffles's mane.

As he exited Remus's office after his father, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his father waiting for him.

Severus hesitated. "Are you alright?" he asked finally. "This has to be overwhelming for you."

Darian smiled a real smile. "I'll be okay. Thank you."

Severus nodded. "If you need…anything, you know where my office is." He squeezed Darian's shoulder briefly before going in the opposite direction.

Darian stared after him. Faint warmth formed in the pit of his stomach. Feeling a little reassured, he headed down to the greenhouses.


	28. Chapter 28 Offensive Instinct

I apologize for the incredibly long wait. School is finally wrapping up. My last day is this Monday, thank God, so I'll have more time to write!

So thank you all for being so patient and, as always, thanks to my beta, Badbugz.

Chapter twenty eight- Offensive Instinct

"Hey, are you alright?" Hermione whispered as he entered the greenhouse.

"Hello, Mr. Snape, you can join Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley on repotting the Venomous Tentaculous plants," Professor Sprout called from beside her own plant.

"Yeah," Darian answered, sitting on the stool beside hers.

"Are you sure? You were really angry," Hermione said. "Does have anything to do with…." She trailed off.

Darian smiled and nodded. It suddenly occurred to him just how little of his personal life he didn't share with her. "I'm fine."

Hermione met his gaze and they stared at each other for a long while before she blushed and looked back to the hissing plant she was holding.

Darian resisted the urge to lean closer and inhale her scent over the overpowering smell of fertilizer and earth. Instead, he grasped the plant's roots as they transferred it to a bigger pot.

"Hey, mate," Ron said as they piled dirt into the pot that was as tall as their knees. "I'm really sorry about what I said. I didn't mean anything by it, you know."

"I do," Darian interrupted. "I know, Ron. It wasn't your fault; it was mine. Things have been very…confusing lately. I'm sorry I took it out on you. Just ignore some of the things I do." He grinned apologetically at his friend.

Ron returned the grin, though his was a little sheepish. "You just scared me a bit, mate. I've never seen you so angry, not even when you thought Snuffles was dead."

"I know," Darian said quietly. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Ron about his and Hermione's bond. He had been hiding quite a bit of things from his redhead friend all year.

As Herbology ended, Darian began to dread dinner. He knew Hermione would drag him to the library, or maybe they would just stay outside and demand to know what was wrong. Ron would also probably hang around as well.

True to his thought, Hermione led them instead to the Beech tree they often sat under during the summer to do homework. She settled herself against the trunk and Darian automatically sat next to her. Ron sat across from them.

"What's up?" Hermione asked seriously.

"Hold on," Darian said and stood up, casting a Silencing Charm so they wouldn't be overheard.

"Well?" Ron prodded.

Darian slowly sat down again. He looked at his two best friends….well, he supposed it was actually his best friend and his mate now. Even thinkg that word still made him flush.

"I found out why I was so angry," he said, trying to stall.

"Darian, you're stalling," Hermione said his exact thoughts. He smiled softly at her.

"It….well…it's because…..Hermione did you know werewolves have mates?" he blurted out. "They aren't really 'mates' per say, more like something akin to a girlfriend or boyfriend in the Wizarding World except a little deeper than that."

"Yeah," Hermione answered, looking confused. "All magical creatures have mates."

"I read about them too," Ron said, making his two friends look at him in shock. "What?" he defended. "I told you I had to do that stupid essay by myself!"

"Well," Darian hesitated. "I found a mate here."

Ron's eyes widened. He clamped his jaw tightly on his hand to stop himself from blurting something out. Hermione still looked confused.

"Really?"

Ron slapped himself on the forehead. "You want me to leave?" he asked quietly.

Darian looked up at him. "Yeah, thanks," he said gratefully.

Ron nodded and stood up, leaving for the Great Hall.

Hermione frowned after him. "Why is he leaving?"

Darian sighed. "Hermione…..I've been really protective over you for a little while now, especially in Charms class."

Hermione nodded, looking confused. "Yeah."

"And," Darian struggled to find the right words. "And, well, werewolves are very protective over their mates."

For a moment, Hermione continued to look bemused before realization slowly sank in.

Her eyes grew large.

"W-what? You…you don't mean….?"

Darian bit his lip, looking at the ground. "If you don't want…" he trailed off, unable to put into words exactly what it was that she might not want. Love? Protection? He didn't know. "Then it…it's okay, but I can't stop protecting you."

They were silent. The only sound was the wind blowing through the trees. Hermione was staring at the ground. Darian could practically see the gears in her head turning.

A leaf floated down to the ground and landed on his lap. He stared at the pattern of its spine and traced it with his finger. Hermione shivered. Without thinking, he took off his outer robe and put it snugly over her shoulders.

Hermione stared at him blankly.

Darian cleared his throat. "Well….I'll just give you time to…um…think." He stood up and quickly left, glancing back once at her silhouette in the distance before entering Hogwarts.

"Hey, mate, how'd it go?" Ron asked as he slid into the seat beside his friend.

"I dunno. I left to give her time to think," Darian murmured, sounding miserable as he picked at his potatoes.

Ron shrugged. "She just needs time. I'm sure she'll come around. You know Hermione, she'll probably be fascinated by the whole thing."

Darian smiled weakly at the redhead's attempt to cheer him up though he dropped his gaze back to the tasteless potatoes on his fork.

"Mr. Snape?"

Darian turned to his father.

"I need to speak with you in my office," his father said.

Darian exchanged glances with Ron, sighed, and stood up, following the man out.

"We had assigned an Occulmency lesson tonight, did you remember?" Severus asked once they were in his classroom.

"No, I didn't," Darian said quietly. "I just…"

"It's alright," Severus interrupted, taking his wand out. "Ready?"

"Yeah," Darian whispered, his mind still on Hermione.

Snape frowned and lowered his wand. "No, you aren't. Clear your mind, Darian, you know how to do this."

Darian looked almost pleadingly up at his father.

The man's eyes softened ever so slightly.

Severus sighed and sat down in one of the many chairs. "Sit down," he commanded gently.

Darian sat.

"We cannot practice until your mind is clear, which obviously isn't going to be happening any time soon," Snape said, frowning.

"I'm sorry," Darian whispered, looking at his hands. "I just don't know what to do. I'm so confused." He bit his lip and chanced a glance at his father.

Snape shifted in his chair uncomfortably. He had no idea as to how to approach this. The one time Darian actually needed his advice, he didn't know what to say. This was a werewolf thing, something that Severus had absolutely no idea about, though he'd rather bite his tongue off then direct the boy to Lupin for advice.

Not that Lupin had actually helped very much when Darian had come to him earlier that day. Perhaps that was the only reason why Darian was willing to talk to him about this.

"I wish I knew what to say," he said finally. "Unfortunately, this…..really isn't my specialty."

Darian smiled weakly. He shifted uncomfortably. They sat in awkward silence for a long moment.

"I have a question," Darian said cautiously.

Severus waited for him to continue.

"Er…what---what was….my mother like?" Darian asked quietly, looking down at the floor.

Severus sat back heavily. "She was a wonderful person," he said after another long silence. "Compassionate, accepting…"

"Yeah, I know that," Darian said, looking back up at him. "Everyone has always told me about her characteristics but what was she like? You know…..did she have a good sense of humor? Tell me about your schooldays together."

Snape avoided his son's gaze.

"If that's okay with you," Darian added quickly.

He smiled wanly at Darian. "She was your mother. You have every right to ask these things about her. It is just….painful."

Darian bit his lip and looked down. "If you don't want to…" he began but Severus waved him off.

"We didn't really become friends until the last few years of Hogwarts," Severus started uncertainly. Darian was immediately at attention.

"She was….a lot like you, actually." He paused to think about it, realizing, perhaps for the first time, that Darian was almost exactly like Lily had been in her schooldays.

"How did you guys finally become friends?"

Severus thought for a moment before smiling wistfully. "I suppose you could say we weren't the best of friends at first, of course, her being a muggle-born and I coming from a family where purity of blood mattered more than a person's characteristics."

Darian nodded in understanding, waiting for him to continue.

"Well, I suppose I finally began to soften up around her when we were about-"

&&&&&&&&&&&

"_Master Snape," Peppy, his house elf, squeaked. "Somebody is here to see you, Master Snape sir!"_

_Severus looked up from the page he had been staring at for the last two hours. He was still on the same paragraph he had started on though he had yet to make any sense of it. _

"_Well," he said in a raspy voice, before clearing his suddenly dry throat. "Bring---bring him in, Peppy." _

"_Yes, Master Snape, sir!"_

_Severus carefully set the book down. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself before standing up shakily. He made his way to the doorway Peppy had just left and waited quietly, folding his arms and drumming his fingers the other arm. He looked down accusingly at his fingers before mentally commanding them to stop. _

_He took another breath, trying to calm himself as he heard the soft padding of footsteps. _

_A boy looking to be about four stepped nervously into the doorway. Severus recognized his green eyes immediately, thanking God that the boy inherited Lily's eyes as well as her nose. _

_Severus nodded formally to the little boy. "Hello."_

_Nervous eyes stared at the floor. "Hi."_

_Severus shifted uncertainly. What was he supposed to do now? He had never been good with children!_

"_You must be Harry," he said, finally finding his voice. _

_Harry nodded jerkily, chancing a peek up at him. "And you…are you really my Daddy?"_

_Severus blinked at the boldness of the statement. "Father," he corrected after a few moments. "I refuse to be called 'Daddy'. You will address me as 'Father' for the time being, understood?"_

_Harry looked down at the floor again; Severus could feel the boy closing off to him. "Yes, Father," he murmured properly. _

"_Sit down," Severus said, after a few moments. Harry sat, staring with wide eyes around the large sitting room. _

"_Harry," Severus said, and the boy's attention snapped to him. "This is a big change for you, you must have a lot of questions."_

_Harry bit his lip, fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt. "Are you really my Da…Father?"_

_Severus arched an eyebrow at the repeated question. "Yes, I am. Why is that so hard to understand?"_

_Harry looked down at the floor again. "Then…then why was I livin' with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon?" _

_Severus opened his mouth, unsure of how to answer the question. "I was not aware of you until a few days ago."_

_Harry looked at him. "Why?"_

"_Your mother did not tell me about your birth."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because," Severus struggled. How could you explain this to a four year-old? "Because she thought you would be safer with your step-father," he said finally. _

"_But, why?"_

_Severus took a breath. "Why must you always answer with 'why', Harry?"_

_Harry looked down at the floor again, fiddling with his sleeve. "'M sorry," he whispered. "Is my mommy still alive?"_

_It was Severus's turn to look down. "No," he whispered quietly. _

"_Oh," Harry said, sounding sad. He looked up at Severus. "I wish she was," he said at Severus's forlorn expression. _

_Severus looked back at the boy. "Me too." He smiled slightly. "But you have me now don't you?"_

"_I guess."_

"_You guess?"_

_Harry shrugged one shoulder, scoffing a worn sneaker against the carpet. _

"_You're pretty unsure for a four-year old," Severus said, tilting his head to meet the little boy's eyes. _

_Harry's head snapped up and he glared at him heatedly. "I'm five and a half!" his little voice stated loudly. _

_Severus snorted and noticed that Harry was fiddling with a rather odd-looking action figure. _

"_Who is that?" he asked, nodding to the figurine. _

_Harry glanced down at the plastic man dressed in a brightly colored suit before proceeding to tell Severus who Superman was. _

_Severus felt his smile grow as he listened to his son, gazing in over exaggerated interest at the obviously hand-me-down toy. _

"_Apparently you haven't met Merlin then," Severus said when Harry took a breath. _

_Harry stared up at him with wide eyes. "You said a bad word!" he whispered in a horrified voice. _

_Severus scowled. "Bad word? No, Harry. Merlin was the first wizard there ever was, the first man to do magic. He wasn't anything bad."_

_Harry bit his lip. "You said the 'M' word too!"_

_Severus felt his eyes narrow. "Is that what those muggles…I mean, your Aunt and Uncle told you?"_

_Harry nodded, clutching the Superman doll to him. _

_Severus shook his head, standing up. He held out his hand. "Come here, Harry. Let me show you who Merlin was and you will see that he wasn't bad."_

_Harry looked at the hand cautiously before slowly grasping his father's big hand in his tiny one and allowing Severus to lead him through his new home…_

&&&&&&&&&&&

"Professor! Wake up! Please wake up!" a frantic voice was calling him and he felt someone shaking his shoulders. He mentally groaned, feeling his head pound.

"Professor, wake up!"

Severus felt indescribably comfortable and felt no need to open his eyes. He settled back into the fuzzy warmth of his mind.

"Get up! Please, Father!"

Severus's eyes shot open.

"_Father," he corrected after a few moments. "I refuse to be called 'Daddy'. You will address me as 'Father' for the time being, understood?"_

His head jerked up and he rubbed the tiredness out of his eyes.

Darian was staring at him with wide eyes. He had a hand over his mouth, looking as if he couldn't believe his own boldness.

"I'm...I'm sorry!" he said quickly. "I didn't mean to…I'll…I'll just go now."

Severus sat up. "Don't you dare leave, Mr. Snape, we haven't even began our Occlumency lessons!" he shouted the first thing that came to mind.

Darian froze at the doorway and slowly turned to look at him.

"You passed out," he said quietly. "You were talking one minute and then you passed out…..and had another dream didn't you?"

Severus nodded wordlessly, avoiding the boy's gaze.

Darian slumped on the doorway, looking at him wearily.

"What was it about?" he asked after a few moments.

Severus hesitated, closing his eyes briefly before looking up at Darian. "I suppose it was about what would have happened had I known you were my son when you were four….I mean….five and a half…."

Darian looked at him curiously when Severus smiled slightly at the memory of the dream.

"It's not real," he said bluntly.

Severus looked up at him calmly. "I know it's not."

Darian shook his head slowly. "That's just it though: I don't think you do know. I think that you think that that dream would have been real had you actually known about me when I was four."

"Five and a half," Severus corrected absently.

"Shut _up_!" Darian snapped, furious all of the sudden. "Do you think it honestly matters if a pretend child in your dream was four or five and a half? What is it with you that you never appreciate what you have!"

Severus's brow dipped in anger. He stood up. "Do not speak to me like that," he hissed coldly, looming over the boy.

"Why not?" Darian challenged.

"Because I am your father!" Severus retorted.

"Yeah? Well you sure as hell have a hard time acting like it!" Darian said, sitting down and folding his arms, looking like a pouting child.

Snape was quiet, staring off into space, obviously having forgotten about the argument.

Darian gritted his teeth furiously. Lately, his temper had been terribly short and he wasn't about to let someone ignore him.

"_You really don't want them, do you?" _Darian had asked.

"_No," _his father had answered_. "I have…realized that I am happy with what I have here."_

"Is that so?" he whispered harshly out loud.

Snape looked at him blankly. "What?"

Darian pointed his wand at the man. "_Legilimens!"_ he roared, bracing himself as his vision blurred and he found himself before hundreds upon millions of different memories.

'_What am I doing?'_ he asked himself, staring at each memory as they flew by him. He spotted a particular one that had obviously been one of Snape's dreams. It was a dream of Darian himself holding a wand to his father's crumpled form and gleefully shouting "_Crucio!"_

Darian felt his insides turn to ice as he watched himself torture his father. Determination, however, won out and, without any thought as to what he was doing, he dove for the memory.

The entire dream surfaced to his, as well as his father's, mind. He saw his father walking into the Grimmauld Place, his mother running up to throw her arms around him. He saw Dumbledore tell his father in a sad voice that the Half-Blood Prince had orchestrated an attack on Diagon Alley. He heard his father's thoughts on exactly who the Half-Blood Prince really was….

At that moment, Snape finally decided to fight back. With an alarming amount of force, the man shoved violently at Darian.

Darian held his ground, though he had no idea how he was doing so. _'How can I intrude on his mind when I can barely even defend my own?'_

He searched the ribbon of memories again, finally coming upon the one he was looking for. He felt himself enter the memory, surprised at the depth of feeling that his father obviously felt for the memory…..

_He couldn't hate Darian because Darian gave Severus the same feeling that Lily had always given him: he was needed; someone needed him and depended on him. Someone didn't hate him; someone cared about him even. It scared him that someone could place that much trust in him once again. _

'_Love?'_

_It scared him that he could care so much about Darian as he did. As if Lily was back in his life, he once again had a purpose. He had a person that was his, someone who had broken through the walls he had put around his heart. A son…._

'_Love…'_

Darian's eyes widened at the extremity of emotions in that one memory.

Snape pushed against him, harder this time, almost as if warning him to get out immediately.

Darian barely managed to push back before he entered another memory….

_He turned back to see his son coming out of Dumbledore's office._

_He hesitated. "Are you alright?" he asked finally. "This has to be overwhelming for you."_

_Darian looked up at him and smiled slightly. "I'll be okay. Thank you."_

_He nodded. "If you need……anything, you know where my office is." He squeezed his son's shoulder briefly as if to emphasize the point, feeling a warm glow at the relief in his son's green eyes…_

A force struck Darian hard in chest and Darian felt his breath leave his body before realizing that he was back in Snape's office again. He collapsed to his knees, coughing and choking as his chest ached.

"You idiot! Do you not realize what you could have done!" Severus roared furiously.

Darian coughed. "But I didn't."

"How dare you invade my personal thoughts!"

"You do it all the time to me," Darian rasped, massaging his chest. "I was merely returning the favor as you so obviously needed to be taught something."

Snape glared daggers at him, fury and hatred etched on his face. "Those were _my _personal dreams!"

"Don't you see it, though? Don't you see how these dreams are affecting you?" Darian yelled back. "Everything was fine and then you have one good dream about a reality that could never happen and—"

"You may know about them but they are meant for _my_ access only!" Severus interrupted coldly.

Darian exploded. "Why am I not good enough for you?" he screamed desperately. "Why do you always want _them_? What is wrong with _me_? The only time I'm ever good enough for you is when you have the bad dreams. You said you were happy with what you have here so why do you forget about me whenever you have the good ones?"

He collapsed onto his knees. "What do you _want_ from me?" he whispered, wrapping his arms around himself and looking down from his father's furious gaze. "Just tell me so I can do it and you'll stop _looking_ at me like that." He looked up at him with pleading eyes.

Snape was staring at him blankly. His lips moved wordlessly as if he was unsure of what to say.

"Darian…" Severus began, sounding uncertain.

Darian didn't move. He was staring at his father, waiting expectantly for the man to apologize, to tell him that he did care for Darian very much.

Severus hesitated, but didn't say anything else.

Darian sighed quietly and bent down so his forehead was barely touching the stone floor, his arms rapped around his middle, looking as if he were bowing.

"Darian," Severus said unsurely, bending down to Darian's level. "I don't----"

"Then why do you want those dreams so much?" Darian whispered, staring at the floor. "Why do you—"

"Darian," Severus interrupted. "Wouldn't you at least be curious if you had a dream of Lily and I?"

Darian took a breath. "Yes, but—"

"_You_ are _my_ son, not them. They will _never_ be you nor will I ever wish that they were," Severus said softly. "I told you that. You have to trust me, Darian. I will never intentionally hurt you. What can I do to make you believe that?"

Darian squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. "It's hard to….I'm just so used to being…..disappointed." His voice faltered.

"I know," Severus said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It is not surprising in your position. I suppose I haven't really been any help to that either…."

Darian smiled weakly.

"What I don't understand," the man went on, helping him up. "Is how you can be such a good Legilimens when you are an incompetent dunderhead when it comes to Occlumency."

Darian shrugged. "I guess I have more of an offensive than defensive instinct."

There was a knock on the door.

His father growled quietly, moving to fling open the door imposingly. He probably would have shouted at the unsuspecting student as well if it hadn't been who it was.

"Hello Professor," Hermione Granger said quietly. "Is….is Darian in there?" She looked behind him and spotted the boy.

"Hermione," Darian breathed, brightening instantly.

"Can I…er…talk to you?" Hermione asked, looking uncertainly at their Professor.

"Yeah, sure," Darian said nervously, giving his father a look as if daring the man to stop him from seeing his mate.

Severus merely moved aside, however, giving him a slight nod.

Darian felt relieved as Hermione took his hand awkwardly in hers before leading him down the hall.

A/N- Hmmm...not sure about this one...


	29. Chapter 29 Ordinary Night

Whoo! Okay, in all honestly, I had NO desire to write for a few weeks then just a couple nights ago it just hit me and I wrote pretty much all of this as well as half of next chapter. So I'm on a roll hopefully.

Many thanks to my beta, Badbugz, and, of course, to everyone who has stuck with me through this story.

Chapter twenty nine- Ordinary Night (for lack of better title)

They walked in uncomfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. The only connection that anyone would suspect they had was based on their joined hands. They were seemingly unconcerned about being discovered, though it was long past curfew.

Hermione looked out at the twilight sky. "So…." She trailed off, glancing at Darian.

"Yeah…" Darian answered nervously, blushing and Hermione laughed as she stopped in front of him. She took her hand out of his and smiled.

"I guess I have some kind of bodyguard now," she said slowly.

Darian shrugged. She looked away and turned around to look out the window. The sky had darkened and the grounds of Hogwarts were desolate and silent. Finally, she sighed and turned back to him.

"You've got to tell me how this thing works," she said, a look in her eye that she often got at the prospect of reading a new book.

"Don't think I know any more about this then you do," Darian countered, before frowning. "It will probably get annoying and dangerous. I…er….understand if you don't want to be around me as much anymore…."

"Don't you dare say that!" she snapped, grabbing his shoulders. "Darian Snape, how dare you think of me like that? Do you honestly think I'd abandon you?"

Darian blushed again. "No, but you have to admit that it will be dangerous."

"You've got to stop thinking of yourself as an animal with no emotion, Darian," Hermione said, sliding down the wall to sit. He repeated the process and sat beside her.

"But I am an animal, Hermione," he said honestly, glancing at her from under his fringe. "I'm a werewolf, a creature that would kill his own best friend if he were to cross my path, remember?"

Hermione winced guiltily.

"Werewolves are not just wolves. They are also human. No matter what you think, your humanity can easily override the wolf if you just have faith in yourself," she said, shaking her curly hair.

Darian turned his gaze from her to look down at his lap. "I'm not one to really believe in my own strength, I suppose."

"It's not your fault," Hermione said softly before smiling. "And besides, that's what you have me for, right?"

Darian couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. "Yeah, right."

He reached up, catching a curl between his fingers and she blushed.

"Are you looking forward to going to Snape's house for Christmas?" Hermione asked, smoothing her skirt out.

"You've asked me that a hundred times," Darian answered, smiling at her.

She shrugged. "Sorry, I just want to make sure that you're going to be happy."

Darian looked out the opposite window at the pinpricked sky. Words couldn't describe how relieved he was that this mate business hadn't affected their friendship…..well, not yet anyway…. He almost felt like he was waiting for something to screw up the sensation of peace that he had so recently discovered.

"You are going home with your parents for the holidays too, aren't you?" Darian asked her.

"Yeah," Hermione sighed, studying a nearby portrait. "I wish you could meet them," she said, and blushed slightly. "Not like….I mean…" she struggled for the right words. "You've just never really met my parents before. You or Ron. We always end up meeting at the Weasleys' if we ever plan to do anything. I just thought it would be nice for us to go to my house for once."

Darian nodded. "You wanted Ron and me to come for Christmas?" he asked.

"Well, yeah," she admitted. "But now that the war is in full-swing, it's better to be with your family, _both _ of you." She looked pointedly at him and smiled. "Your first real Christmas, huh?"

"Not really. You and Ron have always been my family, Hermione," Darian said. He hesitated, looking at her shyly before reaching over and taking her hand in his again.

"It will be different. Maybe a bit more awkward but, hopefully, we'll get over it," he continued.

"You will," Hermione said, squeezing his hand. "And I've told you this a hundred times, just because things are a little rocky right now doesn't mean it won't get any better. These things take time."

"I know."

Hermione tilted her head, looking at him closely. "Did something happen?" she asked in concern. "You didn't exactly look happy when you came out."

Darian shrugged. "The usual," he said, examining her fingers. "A little fight; I overreacted, of course."

Hermione laughed. "If you think that if I say'it will take some time,' you and your father will stop fighting altogether, then you have another thing coming. I still get into fights with my parents at least twice a week."

"But you live here," Darian pointed out.

"Well, we do send letters to each other don't we?"

"I guess….how can you get in a fight sending letters?" he asked skeptically, not having anyone to really send letters to during the school year. "I never got in a fight with Sir..er…Padfoot when we wrote to each other."

"Yeah, but he wasn't your father," Hermione said obviously.

Darian scowled and folded his arms. "He was my godfather!"

"But he didn't raise you," Hermione countered.

"Neither did Snape."

"Well, you and Snape haven't gotten to know each other that well," Hermione said. "Plus, Snape is a very temperamental person as you well know."

"I never really knew Padfoot either," Darian pointed out. "But we didn't really fight that much."

"Padfoot is more playful than normal fathers, Darian," Hermione said seriously. "He's more like a brother or an uncle."

"Not in our fourth year he wasn't," Darian muttered.

"Are you determined to think that your fights with Snape are so abnormal, or do you just like fighting with me?" Hermione asked in annoyance.

"I just don't see how you can get in a fight through a letter!" Darian said loudly.

"That's not the point of this conversation!" Hermione said heatedly.

"Then what _is_ the point?"

"The point is that getting in little fights with your father is completely normal," Hermione said, looking confused. "….wasn't it?"

"But _how_ can you get in a fight with your parents twice a week through a _letter_?" Darian asked incredulously.

"Just forget about the letter!" Hermione snapped.

"What are you two griping about now?" a familiar voice muttered and they jumped.

"Ron," Darian said in relief, wondering why he hadn't sensed his approach.

"You have to be more focused, Darian," Ron said, smirking. "I could've been a Death Eater for all you know. Remember: _Constant Vigilance_."

"Oh, shut up," Darian grumbled as Hermione giggled.

Ron flopped down on the other side of Hermione. "Sooo," he began, looking uncertainly between them. "You weren't back yet; I went looking and heard you two bickering. How are things?" he asked, not needing to emphasize what these "things" were.

"None of your business," Hermione answered before Darian could say anything. "You need to concentrate more on Luna, Ron."

Ron's ears turned red. "What?"

"Oh, don't play dumb with us, Ronald Weasley," Hermione said, folding her arms and glaring at him. "It's obvious that you're just smitten for her, isn't Darian?" she asked sweetly, smirking at him.

"Er…." Darian looked at her. "Yeah….yeah, obvious! _Very _ obvious, mm-hmm," he said nodding vigorously.

"Why are we even talking about this?" Ron said in exasperation, though his neck was also red now. "This whole conversation started about you two, not me!"

"Well, maybe it should be about you, Ron," Hermione said.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked stupidly and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"We need to find you a girl, mate," Darian said, clapping him on the shoulder and looking concerned. "All this time by yourself can't be healthy."

"Is it my fault that you two have abandoned me?" Ron snapped.

Darian shifted, feeling a trickle of guilt at his friend's words.

"Besides," Ron went on. "I haven't been alone. Usually I hang out with Luna---hey!" he yelled, realizing he had fallen into a trap. "That's not funny!" he grouched as Darian sniggered.

"Okay," Hermione said in a loud voice, interrupting them. "Now that Ron has a girlfriend who is not part of the usual trio, we need to make sure she's good enough for our dear Ron."

"Is this some kind of miniature sorority or something?" Darian asked blankly.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed.

"Relax, I was just joking," she said, waving her hands in front of herself defensively.

Ron folded his arms and glared at her.

"Hey, you better calm down," Hermione said, smirking. "Or Darian will tear you apart if he thinks you're threatening me."

Ron paled.

"Hermione!" Darian said in a long-suffering tone. "Please don't talk about that!"

"Yes," Ron piped up after deeming it safe. "Rule number one: 'We will not make fun of Darian and his 'time of the month.'"

Darian blushed dark red and Hermione busted out laughing.

"You are dead," he hissed, shoving Ron on the shoulder and onto the floor.

"Oy! Watch the robe," Ron said as he righted himself, brushing the dust off his robe. "Even you have to admit it, mate, that your 'time of the month' and Hermione's 'time of the month' are rather similar."

"_Shut up_!"

"Don't bring me into this!"

Ron smirked. "You both deserve it," he said smugly. "Besides, both of you are really sensitive during that time of the mon---oof!" A robe was nearly stuffed into his mouth by Hermione. He choked, yanking an alarmingly large amount of cloth out of his mouth.

"You really do have a big mouth," Darian mused.

Ron coughed, pulling a face. "Ugh! Your robe tastes horrible, Hermione! Wait…" he trailed off, looking to the robe that proudly bore the Ravenclaw insignia to Hermione. "What were _you _ doing with Darian's robes?" he asked, looking at them suspiciously.

"For your information, _Ronald_, I was cold," Hermione said stiffly.

"Hermione," Darian groaned. "Why did you have to put _my_ robe in his mouth! Now I'll have to wash it again…"

"Oh poor you," Ron said sarcastically. "At least you don't have the taste of expired soap in your mouth."

"That's not all that was on it, mate," Darian said with a smile.

Ron made a face again. "Please…..I don't need to know."

"Boys…." Hermione muttered, closing her eyes, a smile playing on her lips.

&&&&&&&&&

"What'd you get me up for?" Hermione hissed furiously.

Ron yanked his robes on and buttoned them up, thanking Merlin that they hid his too-small pajamas. They were both standing in the abandoned Common Room at two in the morning the night before they left for Christmas break.

"We're going to get Darian," Ron whispered, looking nervously behind him to make sure no one had followed them down.

Hermione had had the sense to put on a robe over her nightgown before coming down.

"Why?" she said grouchily, fussing with her hair. "He isn't in any kind of trouble, is he?"

"No," Ron said, leaning closer to her. She instinctively leaned forward too. "We're going to Hogsmeade!"

"Are you nuts?" Hermione snapped, her quiet voice laced with fury. "You know students aren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade since the Death Eater attack _and_ it its two in the morning!"

"And _you_ know the shops stay open all night since the war's started," Ron countered. "And this is the last night before holiday. We all are going to our families and we won't even get to see each other. Don't you want to do one last thing before we have to leave?"

"No!" Hermione said, her voice shaking. "It's not like we're graduating, Ron! We're coming back for spring semester and next year!"

"But what if there is no Hogwarts next year, 'Mione?" Ron asked quietly. "With the war going on--"

"Many places are unsafe," Hermione finished coldly. "We can't risk this. If we got caught we'd be expelled for sure! Not to mention it's the stupidest plan you've ever come up with!"

"For one thing," Ron said, leaning closer. "Darian's father is a teacher and Dumbledore loves us. They'd never expel us. For another--" he gave Hermione a look when she opened her mouth "--you never know what's going to happen next. For all we know, one of us could be dead by next year."

"Don't talk like that," Hermione warned, her eyes flashing. "Don't you dare--"

"Then you see where I'm coming from!" Ron said loudly. "Live in the moment, 'Mione. Live when you can!"

"Darian won't want to do this!" Hermione insisted, though it was a weak protest. "It is extremely dangerous for him. Voldemort knows who he really is."

"It was Darian's idea in the first place," Ron said after flinching.

"_What_?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding. "So let's go already!"

"Ron--" Hermione began. "I can't….I can't put him in danger like this; I can't put us in danger!"

"Hermione, we're only teenagers once," Ron said desperately. "We gotta have fun when we can, 'Mione. Come on! It'll be like old times!"

"Old times are gone, Ron," Hermione said, her voice shaking with sorrow. "It will never be like old times. We may relive the adventures but we will always have the worries that make these times much different from the 'old times.'"

"Well Darian and I are going," Ron said firmly. "With or without you…….though it'd be safer with you."

Hermione let out a frustrated half-shriek-sounding-huff and glared daggers at him. "Ronald Weasley, I swear that you are the most _infuriating_, most _irresponsible_, pri--"

"Yeah, yeah," Ron said impatiently. "Darian and I are irresponsible and infuriating and we've been destined to get you expelled since day one, heard it before."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "I'm not blaming Darian."

"Oh yes," Ron said loudly. "Don't blame your boyfriend when it was his idea in the first place! I'm just the sidekick, remember?"

Hermione blushed. "You know its not like that…."

"You have to be some kind of idiot to still say that, 'Mione," Ron muttered, shaking his head. "Well, if you insist on staying…" He walked over to the portrait and carefully opened it, pausing to throw her one last look.

Hermione met his eyes challengingly and after a silent battle, she gritted her teeth and pushed off from the doorway, walking out of the common room in the direction of the Ravenclaw dorms.

&&&&&&&&&&

"Got the map?" Ron whispered, glancing around the Ravenclaw common room.

Darian winced, holding up a finger to his mouth in a sign for quiet and wordlessly held up the ancient-looking parchment that was folded neatly. Under his other arm, his Invisibility Cloak was scrunched into a large silver ball.

Hermione bit her lip nervously, glancing behind her to the dark hallway that led to the dorms. She shifted, uncertain of what they were about to embark on.

_'I really need to find some friends who are girls,'_ she thought dully as Ron tripped over his own feet and Darian grabbing his robes to prevent him from falling, only for the robes to tear.

"Oy!" Ron hissed, managing to catch his balance. He stretched his head so he could see his back, but only managed to walk himself in a complete circle, giving Hermione the image of a dog trying to chase its tail.

Darian winced again, closing his eyes briefly and shaking his head at the redhead with pleading eyes.

"Just put up a silencing charm or something if you're that worried!" Ron snapped.

Darian snarled lightly and froze, his eyes widening. _"Go, go!"_ he mouthed, making a frantic gesture with his hand.

Hermione groaned and grabbed Ron's arm, hauling him out of the Common Room. Darian came out shortly after.

"Let's go!" he hissed. "Quickly!"

They ran out of the library, shoes slapping against the stone floor and echoing across the corridors. Darian looked like he was going to pass out as he held his hands to his ears, his emerald eyes watering.

They finally came to a stop before the statue of the one-eyed witch.

"Jeez, mate," Ron panted, putting his hands on his knees. "What was up with that?"

Darian took a moment to catch his breath, glancing over to make sure Hermione was alright. He tried to shake the ringing from his ears. Sounds were much louder at night when everything was quiet.

"There's a….a charm on the Common Room," he whispered, taking a deep breath. "It lets the prefects know if someone's down there based on sound."

"Only sound?" Hermione asked. "Wouldn't it be easier to just cast a charm that sensed someone's presence?"

Darian shook his head. "Not allowed I don't think," he said, finally straightening.

"_Dissendium_!" he intoned and the passageway opened.

"Are you sure about this?" Hermione asked cautiously. "This really isn't something we should be doing, Darian…."

"Come on, Hermione!" Ron groused. "Live a little!"

Hermione glared at him.

"I won't let anything happen, 'Mione," Darian said honestly.

She shook her head. "You can't promise that, Darian."

"But I can come close," Darian said. "I can sense, smell, and hear whoever is around, 'Mione. I swear, I won't let anything happen to you," he told her, gazing into her brown eyes.

"Oh, well thanks a lot!" Ron muttered, rolling his eyes and turning away as the two shared a private moment. "Can we go now? Or can I at least turn around?" he snapped, staring at the cobwebs above them.

When no one answered, he sighed and tapped a foot impatiently.

"Ron?" Hermione asked after a couple moments had passed.

Ron turned around and, thankfully, found them detached from one another.

"Are you coming or not?" Darian asked, already stepping into the passage.

Ron muttered something rather rude under his breath but followed his two best friends into the passage to Hogsmeade.

A/N- Okay, tell me what you think.


	30. Chapter 30 A Night in Hogsmeade

Chapter Thirty- A Night in Hogsmeade

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Hermione whispered as they emerged from the passage.

Darian sneezed at the exotic scents coming from the numerous candies and ingredients that lined the walls. He silently closed the trapdoor that led to the passage after Ron stepped out. Above them, they could hear quiet murmurs of the other occupants.

Ron frowned. "I didn't know a lot of people came here at night."

Hermione shook her head, sweeping the cobwebs from her hair. She looked around nervously. "Don't you think someone will recognize us as Hogwarts students?"

"Well that can be fixed," Darian said. He waved his wand and the crests on their robes disappeared.

"Pure genius, really….." Hermione muttered, rolling her eyes.

"We can just say we're seventh years," Ron said easily.

Hermione sighed loudly. "Do you honestly think Madame Rosemerta was the only person we actually associated with? Other storeowners know us, Ron. We aren't exactly inconspicuous you know."

"Will you stop whining?" Ron snapped.

Darian gave him a dark glare.

"Look," Hermione said calmly, shooting Darian a quick look. "I'm just afraid that we're going to get caught."

"It's not like we've never done something like this before," Darian said, looking at her earnestly. "I honestly think that tricking Umbridge by leading her into the Forbidden Forest to find a pack of centaurs pretty much tops this."

Hermione blushed and Ron snickered.

"I wish I could've been there for that," the redhead sighed.

"Besides," Darian said, finally letting down his guard long enough to dust off his robe. "I don't think anyone will say anything. I mean, this is a war and in a war people usually tend to keep to themselves. Not to mention we could be polyjuiced Death Eaters for all they know."

"I guess," Hermione said softly, looking a little reassured.

Darian smiled briefly at her before looking up the stairs. He sniffed the air experimentally, not recognizing any of the scents. One in particular, however, smelled rather tangy. He sneezed again.

"I think its okay," he said, sniffling and wiping his watering eyes. "There might be a veela up there though…."

Ron's eyes lit up.

"Don't even think about it," Hermione said, grabbing his arm.

"What about Darian?" Ron squawked indignantly. "I'm not the only male here, you know! Just because he's your boyfriend doesn't mean he doesn't react to them!"

"Actually, it does. Werewolves aren't as affected if they already have a mate," Darian said smugly. "Unlike most creatures, we're usually quite loyal."

Hermione laughed and Ron cracked a grin.

"I think that's the first time I've ever heard you proud of being a werewolf, mate," he said, thumping Darian heartily on the back.

"It has its perks," Darian said, turning to lead the way upstairs.

Hermione hesitated. "Okay……so we're going to do this, right?"

"Of course," Darian said, glancing back at her.

Hermione smiled and nodded quickly, taking a breath. "Okay, let's go."

Ron grinned. "Aw, Darian," he said in a mocking voice. "I think 'Mione here needs a bit more of that 'reassurance' you gave her in the hall."

Hermione smacked him across the face.

&&&&&&&&&&&

"Its so beautiful," Hermione breathed as they strolled down the streets, passing groups of people every few moments.

Hogsmeade was indeed quite spectacular at night. None of them having seen it in the dark before, it took their breath away when they first stepped out of Honeydukes. As Christmas was just around the corner, there were giant Christmas trees stationed at every corner, each limb decorated to its fullest and branches intertwined with white lights and gold tensile. It almost looked daylight with all of the lights that adorned each shop and post, causing the charmed ice fixtures of Father Christmas to sparkle.

"They really outdid themselves this year," Darian said, looking around at the cheerful decorations as Christmas music played softly around them.

Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement.

"What's that?" Ron asked as he paused near the Three Broomsticks, pointing to a line of booths that had been set up.

"Haven't you noticed them before?" Hermione asked. "Every Christmas, wizards set up booths to sell items from different countries. You really haven't noticed it before?"

Ron blushed.

"If its any consolation," Darian said, glancing at his friend, "I've never noticed them before either."

Ron threw a smirk at Hermione.

Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes. "Boys…." she muttered. "Where have you been buying your Christmas presents, then? There aren't many stores around here that sell that much merchandise except Zonko's."

"Owl order," Ron and Darian intoned at the same time.

Hermione shook her head, laughing slightly. "Come on," she said, taking a hand of each one and pulling them in the direction of the different booths.

"Okay," Hermione said as she stepped close to a wizard that was selling odd trinkets that Darian usually saw in Dumbledore's office. "We'll split up and meet at the Three Broomsticks for butterbeer in an hour, okay?"

"Split up?" Darian asked blankly. He felt rather uncomfortable leaving Hermione alone at this time of night. "Hermione, I don't think I can--"

"How am I supposed to buy your Christmas present with you standing right beside me?" Hermione asked in amusement, her brown eyes twinkling. "Go on; I'll be fine."

"Yeah, mate," Ron said seriously. "It'll be okay."

Darian looked helplessly between his two friends. "Look, its not a matter of wanting to or not, I really can't--"

"Unicorn Tears, sir?" a wizard interrupted, holding up a small glass vile filled with crystalline liquid. "Extremely rare, but I'll cut the price in half just because you seem like such a good lad."

Darian arched an eyebrow. "Do I know you?" he asked rudely, pushing away before the man could say anything else. "Hermione!" he yelled to her retreating back.

"I'm just going to look at the booths down here, okay?" she called, turning to face him so she was walking backwards. "I'll stay in sight, I promise."

Darian hesitated, feeling his insides writhe but, true to her word, Hermione stopped quite a ways down, though he could still see and smell her. He bit his lip nervously and slowly tore his gaze from her to look at the booth he was now standing at.

"Greetings, sir!" a young witch with bright green eyes said cheerfully. "Christmas shopping are you?"

Darian glanced down at where Hermione was for a moment before slowly turning back to the waiting witch. "Er…yeah…"

"Well I'm sure I have just the thing for that young lady down there you were talking with earlier," the witch said and Darian frowned, turning his attention to the merchandise that was displayed proudly.

His eyes widened at the different jewelry that littered the table in front of him. He had never seen so many shiny things. He let his eyes roam over the different stones that were encircled with gold, silver, and many other foreign metals that Darian didn't recognize. Some of the precious jewels adorned smaller stones and were hung on a fine thread of gold or a thick band of silver.

"This will certainly win your lady-friend over!" she said expressively, showing him a finely cut silver band that had a large sapphire with tiny diamonds on the edge of it. "Simple and sweet with just a little decoration."

"Oh….I don't know," Darian said uncertainly.

"Not a ring-lover, no?" the witch asked. She was young and obviously unwilling to quit.

Darian shrugged, feeling pathetic. "I really don't know what to get her."

"First time, then?"

"You could…..say that," Darian said, feeling uncomfortable.

"Not to worry!" she assured quickly, taking out more jewelry. "How about a necklace?"

Darian shrugged again.

"This is what you need!" she declared triumphantly.

Darian stared at what she was displaying. It was two necklaces. The pendant they made together formed a ying-yang. One was a gold chain with a silver ying and the other was a silver chain with a gold yang.

"The ever-popular Ying-Yang necklaces!"

"I don't think so," Darian said, shaking his head. "It seems a bit childish." The two necklaces were beautifully made, no doubt, but the idea seemed rather immature to him, almost like those poorly made friendship necklaces he had once seen in a store with Aunt Petunia where one bore 'Best' and the other read 'Friends.'

Darian looked up to see Hermione a little farther away, but still close enough. He ran a hand through his long hair and let it fall back against his forehead.

"I really should be going….." he stopped, trailing off when he spotted a gold ring strung on a matching but very fine chain. He picked up the small ring. The gold glimmered but it wasn't bright and shiny, rather kind of a dull gold that contained its own vivid beauty. The band was thick and slightly heavy in his hand. He knew, on instinct, that if he were to put it around his neck, he could easily feel the ring resting on his chest.

"It is very plain," the witch said, sounding slightly put out. "But if it is what the sir wishes…."

Darian tuned her out and examined the ring, running his fingers around the smooth gold, pausing when he felt the rough texture of an inscription on the inside. He turned it over and squinted to see the tiny words.

_'It Always Perseveres'_

Darian studied the fluently looped words. The ring was simple and nothing glamorous, yet to him it seemed perfect.

"I'll take it," he said finally.

"Are you sure you don't want to look at these?" the witch asked, gesturing to the rings that proudly bore sparkling jewels but trailed off at his dour look. "Alright. Do you wish to put you and your girlfriend's name on the inside?"

Darian winced. "No," he said, rolling the ring between his fingers before holding it up by the chain and watching it revolve slowly in the air. "Its fine the way it is."

The witch was highly disgruntled as Darian paid a pretty penny for the gold tucked away in its own box and promised Unbreakable Charm placed over it.

Darian placed the velvet box in his pocket and sighed gratefully before turning his attention to the other booths. He found that getting the next few presents were much easier then Hermione's had been.

For some reason, Darian felt it appropriate to buy Remus a pensive. As he stared at the swirling contents that were waiting to be filled with memory, he thought of all the people Remus had lost. Perhaps this would ease the pain a little, and maybe Remus might let Darian see some of the memories involving the Marauders.

Ron's was simple enough. Darian had debated on simply getting him something that bore a Chudley Cannons insignia but got sidetracked when he spotted a booth selling different Chess sets. One in particular caught his interest. It was a Chess set designed after light and dark magical creatures. The dark side had a Dementor as King and a Banshee as Queen with two Vampires as Rooks, Inferi were the Knights, Werewolves (Darian flinched) as the Castles, and a bunch of tiny Basilisks as Pawns. The light side consisted of a Phoenix as King and a Veela as Queen with Elves as Rooks, Unicorns as Knights, Centaurs as the Castles, and Fairies as the Pawns. The chessboard seemed to be made out of marble and was checkered dark blue and gold.

Darian studied the tiny figurines, awed at the precision of detail on each figurine. He never thought it was possible to make a harp as tiny as the ones the two centaurs were holding. As he touched the miniscule harps, he noticed the strings were real gold threads. Picking up the werewolf figurine, Darian noticed that each creature was made out of some type of rock. He squinted to see the razor sharp teeth jutting out of the werewolf's long snout.

"They have a type of Repairing Charm placed on them," the old wizard told Darian.

"Repairing Charm?"

The wizard nodded, his pointed blue hat drooping off to one side. "When they break, they repair themselves immediately," he said, adjusting his hat.

Darian nodded and paid the six galleons and three knuts for it.

It suddenly dawned on him that his father's present would be the last one he would buy this year. After all, he couldn't send a present to Hagrid or Neville or any of the other Weasleys….

Darian checked once more on Hermione before continuing down the long row of booths in search of something for his father. He passed the different booths, glancing only briefly at the displays. He already had one present to give to his father, something that he was sure Snape would appreciate very much, but he still wanted to get him a little something.

In the end, Darian simply got him a set of very rare potion's ingredients complete with Unicorn Tears.

&&&&&&&&&&

When they all finally finished and sat down in a corner with three hot mugs of butterbeer, they talked of trivial things such as quidditch and the Weasley twins' latest inventions, talking long into the morning until the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon.

By then it was nearing breakfast and the three quickly headed back to Hogwarts through the passage, finally putting Darian's cloak to good use when they somehow 'appeared' in their beds as if they had been there the whole time.

Darian took a quick lukewarm shower to erase all evidence of a sleepless night before heading down to the Great Hall to bid Ron and Hermione goodbye for the holidays.

"Have a good Christmas, okay Darian?" Hermione said as Ron thumped him on the back.

"I will," Darian said, trying to be cheerful. "Maybe not on Christmas exactly but it will be a good holiday."

Hermione and Ron both winced, knowing that the next full moon was on Christmas Eve.

The whistle sounded and Darian hauled Hermione's trunk onto the train. He turned and gave his mate and best friend a sheepish grin, uncertain as to what to say.

"Well," he said, looking between the two of them. "This will be the first Christmas I've been away from the two of you since we were twelve."

"Yep! And you'll have just as good of time!" Ron said suddenly, surprising both Darian and Hermione by the reassurance in his voice.

"What are you two still doing here?" Professor McGonagall demanded, appearing out of nowhere. "The train is about to leave! Get on, now!"

Ron shook his head as she walked away to hustle a gaggle of second years on the train.

"See you, mate," he said before boarding the train.

Darian looked uncertainly at Hermione.

"You going to be okay?" Hermione asked softly, looking up at him through curly bangs.

He shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to find out, won't we?"

She smiled.

"Come on Hermione!" Ron yelled from one of the windows.

Hermione glanced over her shoulder at him briefly before turning and wrapping her arms around Darian.

"I'll miss you," she said, burying her face into his robe.

Darian sighed in contentment and closed his eyes, resting a cheek on top of her head.

"I'll write to you, okay?" she said, looking up at him, her arms still wrapped around his shoulders. "And I'll see how you're doing after the full moon. If it gets too bad….you'll tell me, promise?"

Darian blushed unwillingly. "Promise."

"Good," she said and pressed her lips to his.

The kiss was long and tender, warming Darian to the very bone. He didn't want to end it, but McGonagall grabbed his shoulder and he pulled back reluctantly.

"I expected better of the two of you! The train is leaving now, Miss Granger so I suggest you board it unless you want to be stuck here for the holidays," the Transfiguration professor admonished.

"What is it with us getting caught by teachers?" Darian joked weakly.

Hermione laughed and gave him one last a quick hug before dashing into the train just as the door slid shut.

Darian waited until the train had rounded a corner and disappeared before heading back up to Hogwarts.

"Mr. Snape!" Professor McGonagall called after him. "Professor Snape requested that you get your things together. He says the two of you are leaving directly."

"To where?" Darian asked blankly.

Professor McGonagall looked at him oddly. "I'd say to your home, Mr. Snape," she said and they continued up to Hogwarts.

&&&&&&&&&&

"Not to be rude or anything," Darian said as he set his trunk down on the floor. "But I thought you owned a Manor."

Severus looked up at him from where he was starting a fire in the small fireplace. "You expected an extravagantly furnished Manor with five hundred rooms, no?"

Darian blushed, looking around the small cottage. "I'm not disappointed or anything, I just thought—"

"I know, Darian," Severus said with a small smile. "But I cannot stand large houses, especially when I'm alone." He let out a loud sigh, abandoning the muggle technique he'd been trying to use to light the fire and waving his wand instead, the fireplace immediately burst to life. "Not only that," he continued. "But the Manor currently belongs to my brother and his family."

Darian froze and looked up at him. "You have a brother? I have cousins?"

Severus stood up, taking off his robe and throwing it nonchalantly on the couch. "Yes," he said shortly. "Though I do not think that you would gain any pleasure from meeting him."

"He's a Death Eater, then?" Darian asked, though it was more of a statement.

"That, and a vindictive bastard," Severus said bitterly.

"Ah, it runs in the family does it?" Darian joked though he immediately bit his lip, fearing he had gone too far.

Snape looked at him for a moment and his lips twitched. "You could say that."

"What about his kids?" Darian asked out of relief, also taking off his robes as warmth flooded the small living room.

"Kid," Severus amended. "He has one son, and a sorry excuse of a human being that brat is."

Darian cocked his head to the side, looking at him questioningly. "You really don't like them do you?"

"I am not fond of them, no."

Darian smiled and slowly looked around the house. It was small, no doubt. The entire house seemed to be made out of oak and had a tiny kitchen squeezed on the other side of the living room. There wasn't a dining room but there was a coffee table in between the couch and fire.

"I'm a very clean person, Darian," Severus told him when he questioned the absence of a proper dinner table. "I don't need it."

"I do hope you weren't expecting the Malfoys' estate," Severus said suddenly, looking at him. His tone was sarcastic though Darian could tell that his own opinion of his new home was important to Snape.

"It's small, yes, but I like it," Darian told him honestly, looking around the living room at the couch and two chairs stationed in front of the roaring fire. "It seems very…..homey." He looked back at his father, not needing to say aloud what it meant for him to actually have a home of his own.

Severus nodded. "I bought this with your mother, you know."

Darian's head shot up from where he was staring into the fire. "Really?"

Another nod. "Yes. Before we married, she….Lily wanted to buy a house of our own first." A pause. "That was only a few weeks before we decided to go our separate ways."

Darian digested the little information eagerly.

"She fell in love with the house immediately," Snape went on, turning away from Darian to stare at the book-filled shelves that were attached to the walls. "She said it was the perfect size for starting a family."

Darian looked down at the beige carpeted floor. He was silent.

"We both decorated the interior," Severus said, turning back to Darian and walking over to sit beside his son on the couch.

"So you haven't changed anything?" Darian asked, looking at the couch he was sitting on. He tried to imagine his mother sitting in this very spot so many years ago, young and happy, expecting to soon be wed to his father, not knowing that in a few short years she would be…..

"She put in a nursery beside our bedroom." Snape's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to look at his father. Severus's dark eyes had a far away look to them, and Darian knew that his father wasn't with him anymore, but rather seventeen years ago in the past. "I thought she just designed a nursery because she eventually wanted to have children. I didn't know she was already…." He trailed off and swallowed heavily.

Darian looked at him, feeling his eyes burn. "Is it still there?"

Snape blinked and turned to look at him. "No. I had to turn it into guest bedroom. There are only two bedrooms in this house, after all."

Darian felt his heart sink. "Oh," he said quietly.

Severus smiled faintly at him. "Why? Did you plan on sleeping in there?"

Darian's face broke out into a grin, the somber mood shattered instantly. "No, I just never had a baby blanket that I can remember, or a stuffed animal."

"So you planned to take one from the nursery?"

Darian shrugged. "Maybe. Ron still has his Mister Fuzzums."

Severus laughed softly. "I didn't need to know that, though I'm sure I can put that information to use during detentions with him…."

"Don't even think about it," Darian warned. "I told you that with the utmost confidence that you'd keep the information private!"

"I'm a Slytherin, remember? What did you think I'd do with that kind of information?"

"Well, true…." Darian said, thinking. He laughed. "Oh Merlin, poor Ron…"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Christmas Eve came all too quickly for Darian. Though he normally would've looked forward to his favorite holiday, he was dreading the next full moon.

Wolfsbane, which had originally started out a major inconvenience that Darian despised, was soon becoming Darian's favorite potion. The taste was still horrible, though it was with new enthusiasm that he drank it, knowing all too well the feeling of having no control over himself. The feeling was soon becoming his greatest fear, as was the full moon.

Severus was gentle around him, already recognizing his short temper, mixed with pity for the way his son had to spend the holiday.

Darian _hated_ pity, and it didn't help the situation at all that the young werewolf was beginning to miss his mate.

Snape felt like he was constantly on pins and needles around Darian. He had never realized just how temperamental Darian got when the full moon was this close, as he'd never spent this much time with his son before. Remus never got this bad, though Severus guessed it was because Darian was a teenager and his hormones were already out of whack. So it was with great unease that he carried Darian's last dosage of Wolfsbane up to the boy's room, hoping to himself that their suddenly frenzied holiday would become peaceful again after the full moon was over.

"Darian," Severus called as he opened the door without knocking.

Darian was lying on his bed, as usual, reading ahead in his Transfiguration book. He looked up when Severus came in.

"Don't you ever knock?" he asked rudely and his father sighed indulgently and set the potion on his bedside table.

"Drink that directly," Severus told his son. "You need to be downstairs soon, Darian, the full moon rises in half an hour."

Darian nodded tersely, staring at the smoking goblet with a look of determination.

Severus eyed the room. It didn't have much, as it was just a guest room, but Darian had already unpacked his things and the once empty room was now filled with books, robes both dirty and clean, and candy wrappers. It amused Severus to no end to see how his son was quite picky about some of things in his room such as the window always having to be open regardless if it was below freezing outside, or how Darian refused to close the small closet door and the light inside always had to be on.

For a moment, Severus's eyes blurred and he could see Lily, awash with happiness, proudly showing him the nursery she had just set up. He could barely remember the details, having last seen it years ago though he knew the theme had been the ocean. The boring white walls had once been adorned with a beautiful painting of a sparkling ocean and a sandy beach, the ceiling once charmed to be a bright blue sky with the sun shining during the day, complete with the sounds of seagulls cawing and the ocean washing up onto the shore.

"Professor?"

Severus was torn from his reminisce to look at his son. "Yes?"

"The full moon," Darian said as if he were stupid. He arched an eyebrow at his father. "Werewolf? Ring a bell?"

Severus shook his head to clear it. "Of course," he responded quickly, and gently took Darian's shoulder. "Come on. I'll walk you outside."

As they stepped out the front door and were assaulted with a fresh blast of cold air, Severus caught a glimpse of his son's face, pinched with fear. He squeezed the boy's shoulder tightly, vainly trying to reassure the both of them.

&&&&&&&&&

Severus sat outside on the porch, staring out into the large grass field that surrounded his house. He had apparated Darian a few miles away from the cottage and stayed with the boy until the moon had just begun to rise before apparating away. His gut twisted, however, when he remembered the terrified look on Darian's face before he had fled.

Darian had made himself known only a few moments after Severus settled himself on the front porch with drink in one hand and a book in the other. He had promised his son that he would be there the moment the moon went down, and he'd be damned if he broke that vow by falling asleep.

Darian's familiar howl echoed across the grassland again and Severus felt his lips twitch.

"He never is one to stay unnoticed is he?" he whispered to himself.

Another howl sounded after Darian's, sounding deeper and more mature then that of a young werewolf. Severus froze, looking up. He quickly marked his page and stood, brandishing his wand in front of him and slowly backing up to the door. The other howl had sounded far too close for his liking.

A loud snarl caught his attention and he turned to see an enormous gray werewolf only a few hundred feet away. But Darian was a black werewolf…..

Severus felt the breath leave his body as he fumbled with the doorknob and practically fell into the house. He slammed the door shut behind him and stood there for a moment, panting.

No….this couldn't be happening. This field had been abandoned for years. Severus had never heard of a werewolf even remotely close to this proximity. A second later the sound of scratching reached his ears, separated only by the door he was leaning on.

Severus backed away, raising his wand and stared determinedly at the door. The scratching continued and he knew that it was only a matter of minutes before the werewolf broke through the door.

"Dammit, why didn't I put up any wards?" he hissed to himself, backing away from the door. He raised his wand in preparation.

And suddenly, the scratching was replaced by a whimper and then another loud snarl. Severus stilled. He could hear growling coming from the other side and slowly lowered his wand, cautiously walking up to the window to peer outside.

Two werewolves were facing off against each other in front of the porch.

"Darian," Severus whispered, recognizing the much smaller werewolf with a jolt of fear.


	31. Chapter 31 Merry Christmas

Chapter Thirty One- Merry Christmas

After getting over the initial pain of transforming, Darian suddenly felt content. He gazed over the vast field, feeling a sudden jolt of excitement well up in him. Without further hesitation, he let out his trademark howl before breaking off into an all-out run. The ice cold wind whipped through his fur at his ran though it only felt like a refreshing breeze to him.

It was freedom. Beautiful, blissful, pure freedom. Running without any boundaries or rules was like flying amongst the clouds. It was just him, just the peace of being alone, of the solitude and silence. No worries, no people, no prophecy, just running with the rush of the wind at his shoulder….

Unfortunately, Darian's moment of pleasure came to an abrupt end rather quickly. He skidded to a dead stop when his enhanced sense of smell realized that something foreign had invaded _his_ territory.

A flare of possessive anger flew through him and he drew back his head once again to let another howl echo loudly through the night. Darian froze, listening for the trespasser's answer to his warning. A moment later a deeper howl reached his ears, informing Darian clearly that the other werewolf had no intention of leaving.

Darian growled, baring his teeth and feeling his fur rise slightly as his rage built. He crouched low to the ground, sniffing the other wolf's scent to target the precise location of the unwanted guest. His insides turned to ice when he realized how close the threat was to his human father.

'_Father.'_ The word was almost alien to the wolf but the part of him that the Potion influenced, the human part of him, recognized that word with a surge of fondness. Obviously, _'Father'_ was someone he should, no, _needed_ to protect.

With even more reason to rip the other werewolf apart, Darian sped at an astounding speed toward his father's scent. As he approached, Darian analyzed his fellow werewolf, taking in the enormous size. Obviously, his opponent was full-grown and was quite used to being a werewolf.

Darian could tell by the other's size and age, that this would be a dangerous fight, almost a foolish one to engage in on his part but the need to protect this human urged him to clamp his jaw firmly over the gray tail and swing the other werewolf with all of his strength away from his father and off the porch.

The werewolf showed only a moment of weakness but when he looked at his abused tail and noticed exactly what had caused him such pain, fury flashed through those large amber eyes that matched Darian's own.

Darian stiffened his body in a defensive mode as the other wolf hunched, prepared to spring at him at any given moment. Darian's ear twitched as he heard his name being whispered by the human but he didn't risk taking his eyes off the enemy.

Like lightening, the much larger werewolf charged, advancing on Darian with such speed that the young wolf barely had a chance to realize what was happening until he felt the piercing pressure around his neck. He scratched helplessly at the unrelenting wolf, desperate for air and was relieved when the grip on his neck disappeared as he was sent airborne.

Darian wasn't sure if it was years of quidditch or just being a werewolf that allowed him to land on his feet, though he suspected it was more of the latter. Unfortunately, since the Potion had freed a part of his mind, it also had numbed some of his strengths as a fully transformed werewolf.

Darian steadied himself, his pride wounded worse then he was, and charged the other wolf without a second thought. He sprang on the wolf's back, tackling them both to the ground and taking that moment to draw three long gashes along his opponents back.

The other werewolf howled in fury, retaliating ten-fold as he shoved Darian to the ground, knocking the younger werewolf senseless and pinned Darian underneath him. He reared back, ready to strike but Darian, after giving his head a small shake, bit the enormous paw. With a howl of pain, the gray wolf brought his paw back and swiped Darian's face, leaving four long gashes and repeated the process twice before Darian managed to wrestle the wolf off him.

Darian swayed slightly, his body stinging at the gashes. His back was aching, probably the result of reawakening his back injury when he had been flung to the ground and pinned. A steady rivulet of blood pooled from his neck and soaked his dark fur. He had only just managed to steady himself he was knocked over a few seconds later and he found himself pinned once again, his head swimming.

Darian made to bite the large claw again, but one swipe across the snout prevented it. Teeth sunk into his left shoulder and he howled in pain as the wolf dug a claw into the other, pushing Darian relentlessly into the hard ground, grating rocks and dirt into the younger werewolf's injured back.

Darian squirmed, still unwilling to give up even as his vision darkened at the loss of blood and lack of air. The gashes on his face were bleeding into his eyes and all he could see was red. He struggled, whimpering in pain and exhaustion; his legs were aching with bruises as they scratched helplessly at the wolf.

Dimly, Darian heard the sound of a voice and the crushing weight on top of him was suddenly gone. He tried to get up, but found that his limbs wouldn't cooperate.

The other werewolf was howling loudly in pain and Darian managed to shake the blood from his eyes to see the squirming form of the large gray wolf a few feet from where he lay. His eyes trailed up to the human---his father who was pointing a wand at the large wolf, his dark eyes hard with fury as he watched the pitiful form squirm.

Darian managed to hold his head up for a moment, staring with wide amber eyes at his father.

Snape waved his wand and the werewolf fell limp, still twitching from the aftermath of the curse and Darian realized, with a jolt, that the human had used the Cruciatus Curse. Snape stared uncertainly at the collapsed werewolf, watching the rising and falling chest wearily.

The gray wolf placed one paw flat on the ground and used it to push himself up onto all four legs again. Severus immediately trained his wand on the large creature, swallowing heavily. He cursed himself for acting like a foolish Gryffindor, charging into a dangerous situation without thinking. But then, he reasoned with himself as he glanced at Darian's still form behind him, he might've lost something far more important had he not followed his first instinct.

The werewolf growled deeply and advanced toward Severus and Darian.

Darian tried to lift himself but it was in vain as he collapsed on the ground with a soft whimper. Severus looked at him briefly, tightening the grip on his wand.

"_Crucio!"_ he roared the only spell that seemed to affect the large werewolf, uncaring if it was illegal.

The werewolf barely dodged the curse, though it had the desired affect as it whimpered and backed away resignedly, obviously unwilling to experience the torture curse again.

Severus raised his wand again threateningly; the spell was on the tip of his tongue but the large wolf had already turned tail and ran.

Finally, he slowly backed away, still unwilling to let his guard down for the time being, and carefully made his way over to Darian.

"It's alright, Darian," Severus whispered as he drew close. Darian tensed, knowing somehow that his father wouldn't hurt him. Severus paused and gently stroked the blood away from Darian's face. "Stay with me," he commanded, his voice shaking slightly as he observed the full extent to his son's injuries.

Darian let out a small yip of anguish when Severus brushed a particular nasty looking bite.

"Merlin," Severus breathed, gently stroking Darian's mane and trying not to focus on the blood-soaked fur. "Stay with me," he repeated firmly when Darian's eyelids began to droop. "I'll get you to a Healer as soon as the moon goes down."

Severus stood and, with a wave of his wand, summoned a cloth and a bucket of warm water. Darian whined from below him and he quickly sat back down.

"I'm not going anywhere," he assured the young wolf. "I just want to clean some of your wounds." He dipped the cloth into the water and wrung it out before gently wiping at the blood in Darian's eyes.

Darian closed his eyes against his father's will and laid his head on the ground. His head was spinning and every part of him ached. He let the human's soft touches null him into a light doze, trying desperately not to fall asleep…

"Don't fall asleep, Darian."

His father's voice sounded so very far away….so far...

Darian could feel sleep reaching out for him and was unable to keep his breathing from slowing as he drifted off into a painful rest.

"Stay with me, son…."

&&&&&&&&&

The first thing that registered in Darian's mind when he opened his eyes was the pain. Pain seared through every muscle in his body, every joint and it struck him so suddenly that he cried out, barely even registering that he was human again.

"Darian!" someone said frantically. "Don't fall asleep, Darian, do you understand me? Don't go to sleep!"

Darian felt his eyes tear from the pain and he hissed as a bright light pierced his eyes. "Hurts…." He rasped. "Help me—"

Voices drifted over him. Darian struggled to comprehend what they were saying, but there were just too many of them.

"_Potion….need…immediately…"_

"_Attention…..Anderson…emergency…"_

"_Quick…loosing him…"_

"'_tay….stay awake…."_

Darian's breathing hitched and he struggled vainly to steady it.

'_He couldn't see. Why couldn't he see? There was a bright light shining in his eyes and it was burning them…..his eyes were watering and they were burning…..they were burning and he couldn't see. He couldn't see!'_

"Help me!" he choked, panicking and began to thrash. Hands immediately came down to hold him in place, causing him to cry out at the pain the sudden movement gave him. "Let go!" he screamed. "Let go of me! I can't…..!"

"Darian, stay still," an unfamiliar voice commanded gently. "Just stay still and we'll let go, alright?"

"I can't see!" Darian gasped frantically.

"Dim the lights," someone barked and Darian flinched at the volume of the voice.

Darian blinked the sunspots from his eyes and focused on the Healers that surrounded him. "Where's my father?" he blurted out.

"He's just fine, Darian."

"But where is he?" Darian demanded, still struggling against the Healers.

"He is just outside the door, son."

"I want my father," Darian stated bluntly.

"We can't—"

"Let me see my father!"

"Calm down or we will be forced to give you sedative," a medi-witch said soothingly. "Now you need to stop moving, Darian, or you'll injure yourself worse."

Darian closed his eyes and hissed at the pain that blossomed from his arms.

"Please," he begged, feeling terribly weak and pitiful, his voice quivering. "Can't I just see my father?"

"Not right now, honey, you need to be treated first."

Darian swallowed heavily, taking in a deep breath. "Please…."

The mediwitch bit her lip and glanced at the Healer before disappearing out the door.

Severus waited quietly just outside Darian's room. He held a cup of coffee in one hand, though he had barely taken a sip from it and it was already growing cold. Instead, he stared blankly ahead into nothing.

"Professor?"

Severus looked up as a medwitch exited Darian's door. He stood up immediately, ignoring the coffee cup as it went crashing to the ground.

"He wants to see you," the mediwitch said nervously and glanced behind herself. "But the Healer won't allow any visitors until we've treated him. He won't sit still long enough."

Severus stared at her and blinked. "Then let me see him."

"I'm sorry, sir, but we can't let you in," she said nervously.

"Like hell you can't," Severus snarled, walking past her.

"Sir, wait! You can't go in there!"

Severus ignored her and pushed the doors open to see three Healers trying to pin down a yelling Darian.

"Let go of him!" Severus shouted, moving across to pull a Healer away from the struggling form of his son. "Don't touch him!" he commanded, shoving the other two away.

"Who let him in?" one of the Healers demanded, glaring at the mediwitch.

"Professor, you need to wait outside so we can treat him," another reasoned.

Severus ignored them and bent down next to his son. "Darian," he said the name loudly.

Darian slowly opened his eyes when he realized he wasn't being held down anymore. They focused on the man sitting next to him, staring down at him in concern.

"How are you feeling?" Severus asked quietly, his eyes doing a brief scan of the boy's body to assess his health.

"Oh, just perfect," Darian muttered sarcastically, though he looked a great deal more relaxed with his father beside him. He bit his lip and looked down. "I'm sorry I kind of….freaked out."

Severus merely shook his head. "Don't be," he told him. "Those idiots should have known better then to grab you like that."

Darian smiled wanly, suddenly realizing how weak he felt.

"I'm…..tired….." he breathed, his eyes already drifting shut.

"Rest, then," a familiar voice told him.

Darian flinched as he moved his neck to the side. "Don't…….don't leave, okay?" he said lamely from under closed lids.

"I won't," came the promised reply.

"Professor, he really shouldn't be sleeping now…" A pause, "..o-okay, maybe just for a moment…."

Darian sighed and felt himself relax, willing the pain to fade a little. A hand touched his shoulder, squeezing it tightly and he felt the dull ache in his bones ebb a little.

"Merry Christmas," he heard his father whisper regretfully before drifting off.

&&&&&&&&&&

When Darian next awoke, he felt considerably much better though it probably had to do with the fact that he had finally slept. His room was bathed in a gray-ish glow from the equally gray sky and snow piling up beside his window.

Darian stared out the window at the wall of white for a moment before cautiously turning his head. He was relieved on both accounts when he didn't feel the sharp jolt of pain due to the movement and to see his father sitting in the chair beside his bed, reading a book. Darian looked at him for a moment before clearing his throat.

"What time is it?" he asked, his voice barely above a weak whisper.

Severus looked up from his book and something flashed in his dark eyes as they focused on his son. "It's nine in the morning," he paused to look at Darian critically. "Are you in any pain?"

Darian shook his head wordlessly. "I think I'm numb."

Severus snorted, his lips twitching. "You aren't numb, you idiot boy, you're healing."

"Ah," Darian acknowledged before struggling to sit up. "What about you?" he asked, suddenly remembering the other wolf. "Were you hurt?"

"No," Severus answered and surveyed Darian with a stern look. "But you shouldn't have done that."

"Done what?"

"Attacked that other werewolf who was obviously much bigger then you like an irrational Gryffindor!"

"What's wrong with being a Gryffindor?" Darian snapped defensively as he his head suddenly gave a rather nasty throb. "And its not like I could actually control what I was doing for one thing."

"You took the Wolfsbane."

"Yes, but there's still a bit of werewolf that remains," Darian said irritably, rubbing his head. "You know that!"

"Well…" Snape paused, struggling with words. "Don't do it again!"

"What? Save your life?"

"Don't risk your life to save mine!" Snape yelled, standing. "It's not worth you dying over, Darian."

Darian folded his arms. "It's my life," he said coldly. "I get to decide what to do with it and how I want to live it, not _you_."

"You are so careless, sometimes," Severus snarled in exasperation, glowering down at his son. "Do you not realize how important your life is?"

Darian frowned, looking down. It hadn't exactly occurred to him yet that he actually had a father that worried. "Well," he said quietly. "I've never exactly anyone that worr---"

"Don't you understand that if you were to die then the Dark Lord wins?" Snape interrupted harshly.

Darian felt as if he'd been slapped. "Oh…well…"

"You charge into situations without even thinking them through," Snape cut him off again. "You've always been this way ever since you set foot in Hogwarts and I would've thought that as you got older that this hero tendency would wear off a little but obviously I was wrong."

Darian glared hatefully at him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I don't turn the other cheek when people's lives are in danger."

"Stop acting like a child!" Snape snapped. "It is time that you grew up and began to realize that your life isn't a gambling chip you can fool around with. There are more important things!" He turned to fling the door open.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Darian called after him, sounding a little meek.

"Out," Snape said without looking at him.

"Bu---"

The door slammed shut before he could finish.

A/N- I know, late and unbetaed, and a Darian/Snape fight...they do get into those a lot don't they?


	32. Chapter 32 St Mungo's

A/N- Yes, I know. It has been...ages.

Well...I hope everyone had a happy 2007! And here's to the end of the wonderful epic of Harry Potter. There were some good moments and bad moments but hey! That's what fanfiction is for, right?

I'm so relieved to finally put this up. I found the inspiration to write again after seeing so many in progress stories just completely dying. Fanfiction is not what it used to be unfortunately.

But enough of that. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It is not beta'ed or proofread or anything. I apologize for the errors but I wanted to get this out as soon as possible.

Chapter 32- St. Mungo's

Snape stood on the other side of the door for a long while. He sighed heavily, reaching a hand up to touch his forehead.

"Damn the brat," he hissed aloud.

"Professor?"

Severus closed his eyes briefly before turning to the young nurse. "Yes," he said edgily, arching an eyebrow.

"You haven't slept all night, sir," she said, apparently unfazed by Snape's grouchy mood. "Now that your son is awake, perhaps you'd like to lie down for a few hours?"

Snape heaved a sigh, turning to glance back at the closed door that led to Darian's room.

"Why not?" he muttered, following her to a small room where visitors usually slept.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

_Snape slammed the door open, striding into his small cottage with a scowl planted firmly on his lips. He threw his dark robes over the ragged, gray couch that had once been a gentle beige color, and kicked off his boots._

_"Harry!" he barked, slumping on the couch. "Where the hell are you?"_

_He didn't turn when he heard the door creak open and a tall boy with long, greasy hair stepped out of the kitchen. _

_"Get in here," he ordered, rubbing his forehead and not looking up when he heard the slow footsteps of his son's approach. _

_"Yes Father?" Harry whispered quietly, looking at him through long, dark bangs. His appearance would make any parent cringe. Bruises littered his pale face, surrounding the sickly yellow of his healing eye. He walked with a limp, signaling that his leg was injured as well. _

_Most parents would cringe at the sight their child was in, but Snape was not most parents. _

_"I don't smell any food," he said calmly. "I thought I asked you to prepare dinner for us."_

_Harry swallowed, shifting his weight carefully to the other leg. "I'm sorry, Father. I just….there wasn't anything to cook. We haven't been shopping in—"_

_"What was that?" Snape growled, finally looking at his son. _

_Harry flinched violently and backed away. "I-I'm sorry…"_

_A sharp SMACK echoed through the silent house and Harry recoiled, clutching his cheek and staring at his father fearfully. _

_"I'm sorry!" he croaked again, tears spilling over his cheeks. _

_Snape stood up swiftly and Harry trembled, cowering backwards quickly as his father advanced upon him. _

_"Is dinner such an extraordinarily hard task for you?" he whispered in a deadly calm voice. "Is it too hard for the fourteen year-old Quidditch star?"_

_"I-I quit Quidditch," Harry whispered, now against the wall. "You told me to…"_

_Snape snarled and grabbed the boy's hair, yanking him up and causing Harry to cry out sharply in pain. "Don't you take that tone with me," he hissed into Harry's ear. "I'm your father, __dammit__!" He threw Harry to the ground and walked over to the wall, grabbing a belt off a hook and turned back to Harry with a glint in his eyes. _

_"Yes," he said, thoughtfully. "I know what's wrong. You've forgotten your manners, boy."_

_Harry's eyes widened and he backed away against the wall helplessly. "Father, please!" he begged. "Please don't---"_

_But Snape ignored him as he advanced upon the trembling boy again, snapping the belt. _

_Harry stumbled and hurried to stand up but Snape's hand whipped forward and grabbed the boy's arm in a bruising grip. He sneered at his son's fearful expression as he raised the belt, aiming for the boy's face, for his eyes……he had always hated the boy's green eyes…_

&&&&&&&&

The sharp jolt of pain that met his back from connecting to the concrete floor felt as real as the flow of blood that gushed from his son's face and Severus jolted awake, his cheeks soaked with tears. Bile welled up in his throat and before he could stop it, it spilled from his mouth and onto the floor by his bed. He panted heavily, gagging on the foul taste in his mouth before finally looking up.

It took him a few moments to adjust to his surroundings. When his vision cleared, he found a few people staring at him. Severus ignored the looks and turned over to the other side of the bed, sitting up slowly and putting in head in his hands.

He couldn't believe he had just dreamed that. And the feelings he had felt…..the sadistic happiness at seeing his son cringe away from him like that….

Severus squeezed his eyes tightly shut and concentrated on taking in a one breath after another. After a moment, he looked at his hands, rubbing them together experimentally and turning them over. He could still feel his son's blood on them….

His stomach roiled again and Severus swallowed heavily, trying to fight it back. He wrapped his arms around his middle and took a few more deep breaths, wishing he could obliviate the dream from his mind.

_'I'm no better then him,'_ he realized suddenly, thinking of his own father. He still hurt Darian even now without a single thought as to how this would affect the boy in a long run. What if it got that bad? What if he slipped up and actually struck the boy one day?

The thought of harm coming to the boy by his own hand was enough to make him gag. He bent over and took another breath, willing his stomach to calm down long enough to let him think….

"Are you alright, sir?" a voice asked him and Severus heaved a sigh through his teeth, slowly straightening up to look at the stranger.

It was a man who looked to be about his own age, perhaps a bit older, with dark brown hair and glasses. Strangely enough, the man reminded him of the late James Potter, if only by slight resemblance.

"It will be alright, I'm sure," the man told him quietly. His eyes were bloodshot and had bags under them. "Henry Knight," he introduced himself, holding out a hand.

Severus stared at the outstretched hand for a moment. "Severus Snape," he returned, but didn't take the man's hand.

Henry slowly withdrew his hand. "It isn't good to be in a hospital on such a happy day," he said quietly. "Have you lost someone?"

Severus bent his head, avoiding the other man's eyes. "No," he said curtly.

"You don't look as happy as I'd expect one to be on Christmas."

Severus glared at him. "You are not exactly a bright ray of sunshine either," he said coldly.

Henry's eyes glazed. "Yes," he said huskily, looking down. "If you'd excuse my demeanor," he paused to clear his throat heavily. "But my son passed away a few hours ago."

Severus closed his eyes briefly, taking a breath. "My condolences," he said quietly. He reopened them. "Was he young?" he asked, thinking of Darian.

The other man's lips twitched. "He had just turned seventeen," he murmured and sighed. "He was so very ready to make his way out into the world."

Severus was silent, not having enough experience as a parent to relate to the other man.

Henry swallowed heavily. "He was looking to be a Healer. Merlin did he love to help people…"

Severus shifted uncomfortably, quite unused to listening to something so personal from a stranger. He sincerely hoped that the man wouldn't burst into tears. He wasn't sure he would know how to handle a situation like that.

"Terrible creatures, aren't they?"

Severus looked up at him. "What?"

"Werewolves," Henry answered and Severus's insides froze. The other man gestured at the many visitors that were resting in the different beds that surrounded them. "All of these people…parent…siblings…friends….all of them are here because a werewolf attacked their loved one."

Severus avoided the man's look. "Your…" he cleared his throat, staring at all the solemn faces. "Your son was attacked?"

Henry nodded. "Yes," he said. "He died shortly afterward in here from injuries."

"Oh," Severus said quietly, turning away. He stared out the window to the snow that was slowly piling up before glancing at the clock. It was half past two. "I should be going," he said uncertainly, standing.

&&&&&&&&&

Darian stared out the window blankly. The snow had piled up so much that almost the entire window was covered. He shifted and winced as his sore neck throbbed from holding it in place for so long. For the past few hours, he had drifted in and out of sleep, hoping that he would wake up to his father sitting beside him.

Darian heaved a sigh and wondered, for the hundredth time, what he'd done wrong.

He heard footsteps approaching but didn't bother to look as the door opened. It was probably a family member coming to wish another patient a Happy Christmas. A rustle of something close by caused him to slowly tear his gaze from the window.

What met his eyes almost made him forget his aches and pains from the recent full moon.

Snape stood in front of his bed, looking uncertain. He held a large black bag in one had. Darian's lips twitched as he was seized with the sudden image of a twisted, slightly gothic Father Christmas.

Heh. Snape….gothic. He had never thought of the man's attire in that way.

Severus cleared his throat and slowly lowered the bag to the floor.

Darian watched him in amusement, wondering if the man knew the image he was presenting. He ignored the nervous feeling burning in the pit of his stomach. He knew another confrontation was coming up. Every single day brought some kind of dispute with Snape. It never ended; not even when the bright flame of hatred had finally been extinguished did Darian truly feel that he wouldn't have to expect some kind of bite from his father.

"Merry Christmas," Severus said quietly, almost tentatively. "I thought you might like to open your presents."

Darian felt his eyes widen. He hadn't actually thought the large bag contained presents. He thought that Severus had merely brought him some fresh robes to change into when he was released or, Darian shuddered, his belongings so Severus could drop him off at Hogwarts and continue the holiday in peace after their argument this morning.

"Thank you," he said finally, realizing that Severus was waiting for an answer.

Darian watched as his father carefully removed each package. He glanced over Snape's shoulder to notice a medi-witch placing a white sheet over a still body a few beds down and shivered involuntarily. A middle-aged man stood at the foot of the bed, staring mournfully at the unmoving form, his shoulders slumped, giving the image of a man who had lost everything.

_"Werewolves_!" an old man had choked furiously. _"They kill more innocents than You-Know-Who himself does. The filthy beasts are worse than Death Eaters!"_

Darian swallowed heavily as the young woman at the old man's side burst into uncontrollable sobs.

_"My son!__ My son__! My sweet baby…"_

Severus followed Darian's gaze. His dark eyes rested on the older man for a moment before tearing his eyes from the dreadful scene. He grabbed Darian's chin and firmly turned him away from it as well, turning to yank the curtains shut for good measure.

"I daresay Lupin has delighted in getting you a type of chew toy so he can have a break from your teeth," Severus said, snapping Darian out of the small trance he had fallen into.

"Maybe," Darian answered through the lump in his throat.

"Open it," Snape commanded, thrusting the poorly wrapped present into Darian's hands. "As much as I know I'll regret it later on, especially if it's from that blasted mutt you call a godfather."

Darian smiled weakly at him and tried vainly to push the image of the unmoving body from his mind as he opened his first present.

"There are some for you too," Darian said as he studied the four-dimensional puzzle Remus and Sirius had sent him.

"I am aware of that," Severus murmured. "Though receiving a bottle of firewhiskey from the headmaster every Christmas can get quite old."

Darian put down the puzzle and looked at him oddly. "What about my present? Or are you planning to share the bottle? If you do not want it, there's no use for a perfectly good bottle of firewhiskey to go to waste."

"Not a chance," Severus said bluntly, folding his arms and looking down at him smugly. "Besides, it is against school rules to play favorites, Mr. Snape, even with you."

Darian rolled his eyes and dug out a small box from the bag. Obviously, Snape had simply piled the presents into the bag without even looking at them.

"Here," he said, holding it out to him. "Try this one."

Snape gave him a strange look and slowly took the box. It was wrapped in shiny, silver paper and Snape tore through the beautiful wrapping, easily yanking the tied tensile-bow from around it.

The wrapping fell away to reveal what looked to be a shoebox. Severus stared at it and glanced at Darian's anxious expression briefly before lifting the lid.

Darian mentally held his breath.

Severus carefully lifted a dark red velvet box and flipped it open. His confused expression slowly melted into something that resembled awe as he lifted a thick-banded silver ring from the box. He swallowed heavily, obviously recognizing the symbols on it.

"Where did you….?" He trailed off, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath as he tenderly rolled the heavily ring between his fingers.

Darian watched cautiously. "There's more," he said softly, nodding to a few sheets of yellowed, ancient-looking papers that were left in the box.

Severus avoided his eyes as he picked up the papers, unfolded them and smoothed them out carefully. He squinted to read the faded writing. The beautiful script was just as he remembered it. There was the natural feminine grace to the elegant writing and it was so achingly familiar. Only _she_ could have sketched the tiny lily drawn at the bottom corner of the page with such detail.

Darian turned away from his father to give the man a bit of privacy and focused unsuccessfully on solving the puzzle. How on earth were you supposed to control time? And where the hell did that yellow piece just come from?

After a couple of terse minutes, he heard the rustling of the paper and looked up.

Severus was staring at his hands, his face very pale and his dark eyes shining oddly. He took a deep shuddering breath and closed his eyes, palming his forehead for a moment. He cleared his throat.

"Excuse me," he said huskily and hurried out of the room.

Darian watched him go, hoping that he had done the right thing. He looked back at the nearly empty shoebox and pulled out the last delicate sheet of paper: the smallest one of them all. He knew what it said; he knew what it all said.

Faded ink flowed beautifully to form dozens of names and descriptions (_Zachary….no, too Slytherin; Aiden….he'd say it sounded too much like a sickness; Nicolas….too cliché, everyone's naming their kid after __Flamel_). All of them were marked out except for two.

Darian Nobilius……he picked the first name, Nobilius after his great grandfather…has a nice ring to it…

Harry James…I love the first name, NOT Harold though, just Harry…James after my favorite uncle…

Under the names, it read _'August 5__th__!!!' _proudly. He swallowed, tracing the words his mother had written so long ago. Severus had missed this paper, though Darian doubted if it would have more of an affect on him then the ones he had just read.

The first stack of papers was what would have been his mother's wedding vows to Snape. A few years ago, Darian had found this box wedged in a corner of his vault while filling up his pocket for schoolbooks. At the time, he hadn't understood why the items would be in there. After all, his mother and father had both been buried with their wedding rings, so why would his mother's wedding ring to his father still be in a vault? It made sense now. It had hit him just a few weeks ago. While Snape's name was never once mentioned in the vows, it was now quite obvious that his mother had been referring to his father.

Darian shook his head and moved to pick up a present from Hermione to distract himself from his father's absence. It was tiny and when Darian opened it, he found yet another velvet box. He frowned, feeling a bit disappointed. Hermione knew that he did not care for any kind of ring.

Slowly, he opened it and stared at a very familiar necklace. At least, it would be familiar if it were not a stainless-steel color.

Darian gawked at the necklace as he pulled it out. The chain was heavy and thick, though not conspicuously so. Strung on it was a large, flatly pressed ring. He rolled it between his fingers and read the inside.

'_It Always Perseveres__'_

He shook his head and glanced at the insignia on the velvet box that bore _'East Asia's Finest Jewelry!'_ where as the one he had gotten Hermione had been from the Philippines.

Slowly Darian slipped the chain over his head where it magically shrunk to fit safely around his neck. He gently fingered the ring, silently marveling at the irony of it all.

The door opened and Severus walked in looking tired but composed.

"I'm sorry," Darian said quickly. "I didn't mean to offend—"

"Darian," Severus interrupted quietly. The man took in a deep breath and sat in the chair next to Darian's bed. "You did not…offend me."

The ring, Darian noticed, Severus wore on his left hand. It fit quite snugly, looking like Severus had worn it every day for the last eighteen years.

"Thank you, Darian," Severus murmured, looking directly into his eyes. "I cannot….you have no idea how much this means to me."

Darian watched the man struggle for words. "I think I have an idea," he said, thinking of Hermione.

Severus gave him a ghost of a smile, but it was enough for Darian.

"I was not concerned for you safety simply because of the prophecy, Darian," Severus said after a long moment of silence.

Darian felt his insides clench at the abrupt change of subject. He had hoped that they would avoid talking about their latest disagreement. He looked intently at the patterns on the bedspread.

"I was angry," he heard his father say in a low voice. "You do not think sometimes, Darian." He looked up at Severus.

Severus was staring at him with a mixture of annoyance and regret. "I worry that you will get yourself killed one day. You rush into situations without even….without…!" Snape seemed to be unable to form the right words. "Without thinking!" He said finally.

"You already said that," Darian pointed out bluntly.

"I know," Severus snapped. "But…tell me how I can break you of this habit."

"What habit?"

"You know what I am referring to. This…." Severus gestured almost wildly with a hand. "…this sickeningly noble behavior. You seem to have it in your mind that you must save people; you must save everyone from their own stupidity even if it means that your own life is at stake."

"So, you are saying that I should not help people," Darian stated coolly.

"I am saying," Snape continued through clenched teeth. "That you should realize that you are only fifteen—"

"Sixteen!"

"—and should not be disregarding your safety just because you want to play the hero!"

"I do not play the hero!" Darian snapped back.

"Do you not? Then what do you call—" Snape abruptly broke off and closed his eyes as if silently asking the gods for patience. "This is getting us nowhere."

"Why are you getting upset, anyways?" Darian asked, trying not to sound disrespectful. "You will not even hear what I have to say."

"That is because you cannot seem to grasp…" Severus stopped again. He let out a loud breath and leaned back against the chair. "You are right. I do not listen to what it is that you have to say."

Darian folded his arms and lay back on his pillows, staring at the ceiling.

"You will never agree with me," he spoke to the ceiling. "You will never see things the way I do."

"Correct. I won't," Snape said curtly. "Nor will I allow you to continue this foolish 'saving-people' issue any more."

Darian arched an eyebrow. "Really?" he said nonchalantly.

Snape's lips twisted. "No," he said and raised his chin, looking down his nose at Darian. "You are grounded."

Darian snickered.

Snape ignored him. "When you get back to Hogwarts, you are not to go anywhere but your classes and meals in the Great Hall," he continued.

"What?" Darian said incredulously. "You…you're _grounding_ me?!"

"That is what I said."

Darian struggled for the right words. "What about Hermione and Ron? I have no one in Ravenclaw!"

"That is generally the point," Snape said dryly.

"What is the point? Being alone?"

"No," Snape said heatedly. "Having your friends around as company is not punishment."

"Why are you punishing me in the first place?" Darian snapped. "Because I saved your life."

Snape flinched and stood up, towering over him. "You are being grounded because you do not need to have the temptation of doing something irrationally stupid as you are so often apt to do! This attitude has been going on long enough. It is time that someone actually punished you for your misdeeds instead of receiving a simple slap on the wrist."

"What do you want me to do? Clean out your cauldrons every night?" Darian said scathingly, not liking where this was going at all.

"I believe I made myself quite clear," Snape said quietly. "Besides meals and classes, you will be in your common room at all times. If you have any detentions, then they can be served later on in the year."

"But that's _torture_," Darian moaned.

"No, that is _discipline_," Snape retorted with a smirk. "It is time you learned some."

Darian glared up at him defiantly. What the hell did Snape think he was doing? He couldn't ground Darian, that was insane! Since when did Snape have the right to control every aspect of his life? He looked into his father's eyes.

"You can't do this to me," he said defiantly.

Darian felt a chill sweep through him at the look in his father's eyes.

"Try me," the man said softly and Darian paled.

"You're serious?" he breathed.

Snape didn't answer the question.

Darian looked from his father to the floor. Snape had no right! _No_ _right_! He should yell at the man or threaten to tell Dumbledore. Snape just couldn't do this! It wasn't fair!

"How long?" Darian heard himself ask meekly. He mentally cursed himself. What was he doing? Why was he submitting so easily? He could still win!

"A month," Snape said softly, eying Darian closely. The boy was not accustomed to being chastised. The only discipline Darian had known was at the hand of Vernon Dursley. Severus shivered as he suddenly remembered his most recent dream. He vowed to himself that he would never, _ever_ lay a hand that was meant to cause pain on the boy before him.

"I assume that is an acceptable punishment?" he said smoothly.

"Do I have a choice?" Darian grumbled.

"No," Severus said bluntly.

Darian sighed, folding his arms and looking like a petulant child as he slumped back against the covers. "Isn't this the part where you are supposed to lecture me on how you are only doing this 'because it's for my own good'?" he mimicked in a lofty voice.

Severus arched an eyebrow at the whiny question. "No, this is the part where I tell you to stop pouting like a two year-old or else it will be two months."

Darian looked as if he'd been slapped.

Severus pulled the covers out from under the boy's legs. "I suggest you get some sleep," he said, his voice softening somewhat. "Lupin and your dogfather will be here in a few hours and I sincerely doubt that you will want to face either of them with the small amount of sleep you got last night."

Darian slowly settled back into the covers, still looking completely disturbed at what had just occurred.

"And do try to cheer up," Snape said smugly. "You do have a few more presents to open when you wake up."

Darian barely fought the urge to call his father something very rude.

A/N- Well there you have it. I honestly do not know when the next update will be. Its four in the morning here and I'm very tired... I need to reread most of my story to remember everything so if I have made a few plot-mistakes, I am very sorry but I need to refresh my memory.

Also, I changed the quote in the ring that Darian gave to Hermione. It now reads (as you may have guessed) 'It Always Perseveres'. I'm not good at romance or anything, but I do know the previous quote was absolutely horrible.

Till next time...


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